Kenneth L. Roberson (born 1956 in

Thomson, Georgia Thomson (originally called Slashes) is a city and the county seat of McDuffie County, Georgia, McDuffie County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 6,814 at the 2020 census. Thomson's nickname is "The Camellia City of ...

) is an American choreographer and dancer best known for his work on ''

Avenue Q '' Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and a book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody ...

''.

Early life and career

Roberson was born in Thomson, Georgia. He was an undergraduate at the Henry Grady School of Journalism at the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

when he saw a local dance troupe performing and resolved to become a dancer. In 1979, he graduated with a degree in journalism and got a job at the

Athens Banner-Herald The ''Athens Banner-Herald'' is a daily newspaper in Athens, Georgia, USA, and owned by Gannett. The paper has a Sunday special and publishes online under the name ''Online Athens''. History The newspaper traces its history to the ''Southern Ba ...

. He later quit his job for a chance to audition at the

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Founded in 1958, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) is the largest modern dance company in the United States.Dance Data Project (October 2024) 2024 Largest Contemporary and Modern Companies Report Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ...

. He attended the school for two years before joining

dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...

group

Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

. He studied tap dancing under

Henry LeTang Henry LeTang (June 19, 1915April 26, 2007) was an American theatre, film, and television choreographer and a dance instructor. Biography Born in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan, LeTang was the second son of Clarence, born in Dominica, and ...

who told him about the upcoming Paris premiere of ''

Black and Blue ''Black and Blue'' is the thirteenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976, by Rolling Stones Records. This album was the first record after former guitarist Mick Taylor quit in December 1974. ...

''. He went on to make 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 Stre ...

debut in the musical's American version in 1989. He danced in the 1990 revival of ''

Oh, Kay! ''Oh, Kay!'' is a musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. It is based on the play ''La Présidente'' by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber. The plot revolves around the adve ...

'' and in ''

Jelly's Last Jam ''Jelly's Last Jam'' is a musical with a book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson. Based on the life and career of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton and gener ...

'', a musical about the life of

Jelly Roll Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe ( Lemott, later Morton; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American blues and jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer of Louisiana Creole descent. Morton was jazz ...

. In 1998 he did the musical staging for

John Leguizamo John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (, ; ; born July 22, 1960 or 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in more than 100 films, produced more than 20 films and documentaries, made more than 30 televisio ...

's one-man play ''

Freak A freak is a person who is physically deformed or transformed due to an extraordinary medical condition or body modification. This definition was first attested with this meaning in the 1880s as a shorter form of the phrase " freak of nature ...

''. Ken also was nominated for an Emmy Award for best choreography for Mr. Lequizamo's sketch comedy series House of Buggin' for Fox TV. This led to a job choreographing the 2000 US tour of '' The Civil War''. He choreographed the

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

and Broadway versions of ''Avenue Q''. In 2009 he choreographed

Colman Domingo Colman Jason Domingo (born November 28, 1969) is an American actor, playwright, and director. Prominent Colman Domingo on screen and stage, on both screen and stage since the 2010s, Domingo has received List of awards and nominations received by ...

's one-man show ''A Boy and His Soul''. Kenneth is director of ETHEL written and performed by Terry Burrell. He is Professor of Practice, Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

Work

Dancer

*1985 ''

'' (European premiere) *1988 ''

Sophisticated Ladies ''Sophisticated Ladies'' is a musical revue based on the music of Duke Ellington. The revue ran on Broadway in 1981–83, earning two awards and eight nominations at the 35th Tony Awards. Production ''Sophisticated Ladies'' opened on Broadway ...

'' (European tour) *1989 ''

'' (Broadway premiere) *1990 ''

'' (1990 Broadway revival) *1992 ''

Choreographer

*1996 ''A Brief History of White Music'' *1996 ''In Walks Ed'' *1998 ''

'' (Musical staging) *2000 '' The Civil War'' *2000 ''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 Show Boat (novel), novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the per ...

'' *2000 ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'' *2001 ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Run ...

'' *2002 ''Harlem Song'' *2003 '' Ain't Misbehavin''' *2003 ''Jar The Floor'' *2003 ''

'' *2003 ''Great Joy!'' *2004 ''Drowning Crow'' *2005 ''

The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker that won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.Alliance Theater world premiere) *2005 ''

All Shook Up "All Shook Up" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley, published by Elvis Presley Music, and composed by Otis Blackwell. The single topped the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top 100 on April 13, 1957, staying there for nine weeks. It also topped the ''Billboa ...

'' *2007 ''Ray Charles Live!'' *2009 ''A Boy and His Soul''

Film and television

*1995 '' House of Buggin''' (TV) *1998 ''

'' *2005 '' Lackawanna Blues'' (TV) *2004 '' Brother to Brother'' *2005 ''Preaching to the Choir''

Awards

*1995 Nominated for

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. With the exception of 2013, the award is given at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony. Starting in 2019, separate awards are given for scripted programs and ...

- '' House of Buggin''' *2003 Nominated for Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreographer - ''Avenue Q'' *2004 Nominated for Lucille Lortel Awards and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Choreographer - George C. Wolfe's ''Harlem Song'' *2009 Nominated for Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreographer - ''A Boy and His Soul''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberson, Ken African-American choreographers American choreographers 1956 births People from Thomson, Georgia African-American male dancers American male dancers Living people 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people