Ron Field (October 18, 1933 – February 6, 1989) was an American choreographer, dancer, and director.

Life and career

Field was born in

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where he made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut as a child in ''

Lady in the Dark ''Lady in the Dark'' is a musical with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book and direction by Moss Hart. It was produced by Sam Harris. The protagonist, Liza Elliott, is the unhappy female editor of a fictional fashion magazine ...

'' (1941) with

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. He later danced in the ensembles of '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1949), '' Kismet'' (1954), and '' The Boy Friend'' (1955) before deciding to concentrate on choreography. His first two efforts '' Nowhere But Up'' (1962) and ''

Cafe Crown ''Cafe Crown'' is a three-act play by Hy Kraft that premiered on Broadway on January 23, 1942, at the Cort Theatre. The cast included Sam Jaffe and Morris Carnovsky. Its action presented "a motley group of amiable squatters found in a Second Avenu ...

'' (1964) were unsuccessful, but in 1966 he won his first

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for his dazzling work in the hit ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...

'', the first of several noteworthy successes. During rehearsals for

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

's trouble-plagued '' Merrily We Roll Along'' in 1981, Field was dismissed from the creative team. It wasn't until a revival of ''Cabaret'' in 1987 that he would have another Broadway success. In addition to his work on Broadway, Field staged such diverse projects as

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nightclub acts, the 44th Annual

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

telecast in 1972, ''

Pinocchio Pinocchio ( , ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the children's novel '' The Adventures of Pinocchio'' (1883) by Italian writer Carlo Collodi of Florence, Tuscany. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto in a Tuscan ...

'' (a 1976 TV special starring Sandy Duncan), a

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...

concert and television special with

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;'' Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden ...

in 1977, the opening ceremonies for the 1984

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, and an acclaimed revival of ''

Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical written by Bella and Samuel Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off-stag ...

'' in

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's West End. He also choreographed

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...

's ''

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'' (1977). On February 6, 1989, Field died of brain lesions in New York City at the age of fifty-five. Dunning, Jennifer
"Ron Field, a Tony Award Winner For His Choreography, Dies at 55"
''The New York Times'', February 7, 1989

Stage credits

*1987 ''Cabaret'' (Choreography) *1986 '' Rags'' (Choreography) *1980 ''Perfectly Frank'' (Choreography) *1978 ''

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'' (Choreography and Direction) *1971 '' On the Town'' (Choreography and Direction) *1970 ''

Applause Applause ( Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performanc ...

'' (Choreography and Direction) *1968 '' Zorba'' (Choreography) *1966 ''Cabaret'' (Choreography) *1964 ''Cafe Crown'' (Choreography) *1962 ''Nowhere to Go But Up'' (Choreography)

Awards and nominations

;Awards *1967 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Cabaret'' *1970 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Applause'' *1970 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – ''Applause'' *1977 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography – ''America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music'' *1978 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography – ''The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots'' ;Nominations *1969 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Zorba'' *1973 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy, Variety or Music – ''Once Upon a Mattress'' *1980 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography – ''Baryshnikov on Broadway'' *1987 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Rags''

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Ron 1934 births 1989 deaths American musical theatre directors American choreographers Drama Desk Award winners Primetime Emmy Award winners Tony Award winners