Peter Gennaro
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Peter Gennaro (November 23, 1919 – September 28, 2000) was an American
dancer Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
and choreographer.


Biography

Gennaro was born in
Metairie, Louisiana Metairie ( ) is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area. With a population of 143,507 in 2020, Metairie is ...
. He made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of ''Make Mine Manhattan'' in 1948. He followed this with '' Kiss Me, Kate'' (1948) and '' Guys and Dolls'' (1950). He first drew notice from theatergoers as a member of the trio that danced the Bob Fosse number "Steam Heat" in '' The Pajama Game'' (1954), and continued to hold their attention with the "Mu Cha Cha" number with
Judy Holliday Judy Holliday (born Judith Tuvim, June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', June 9, 1965, p. 71. She began her career as part of a nightclub act before working in Bro ...
in '' Bells Are Ringing'' (1956). A year later, he broke out of the chorus line and into choreography when he collaborated with
Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...
on ''
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...
'', notably choreographing (without credit) a majority of the "America" and "Mambo" dance sequences. In addition to his theater chores, Gennaro worked steadily in television, appearing in and/or choreographing such shows as '' Your Hit Parade'', ''The Andy Williams Show'', Judy Garland's CBS variety program, and the
Kraft Music Hall ''The Kraft Music Hall'' was a popular old-time radio variety show, variety program, featuring top show business entertainers, which aired first on NBC radio from 1933 to 1949. Radio ''The Kraft Program'' debuted June 26, 1933, as a musical- ...
. With his dance troupe, he was a guest on Ed Sullivan's CBS Sunday night variety show dozens of times, and was a member of the regular
repertory A repertory theatre, also called repertory, rep, true rep or stock, which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom ...
company on the short-lived CBS
variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a compà ...
'' The Entertainers'' (1964–1965), which starred, among others, Ruth Buzzi, Carol Burnett, John Davidson and
Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart (September 5, 1929 – July 18, 2024) was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in ...
. He also served for many years as choreographer for
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...
, staging routines for The Rockettes. He was inducted, posthumously, into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2002.


Personal life

Gennaro met his wife, Jean Kinsella, while working in Chicago and the two married in 1948. His daughter, Liza, is also a dancer and choreographer and Dean of Musical Theatre at
Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...
. His son Michael is the Executive Director for Trinity Repertory Company and previously served as executive director of both the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Paper Mill Playhouse. The family lived for a time in
Paramus, New Jersey Paramus ( Waggoner, Walter H, ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1966. Accessed October 16, 2018. "Paramus – pronounced puh-RAHM-us, with the accent on the second syllable – may have taken its name from 'perremus' or 'perymus,' Indian for ...
up to 1972.Shanley, John P. (October 15, 1961)
"Gennaro--Como's Dancing Master"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''.
Gennaro died in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
on September 28, 2000, age 80. He is survived by wife, Jean, daughter, Liza, and son, Michael.


Stage productions

*1997 '' Annie'' (revival) (Choreography) *1989 '' Threepenny Opera'' (Musical Staging) *1983 '' Singin' in the Rain'' (
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
) (Choreography) *1982 '' Little Me'' (revival) (Choreography) *1980 ''West Side Story'' (revival) (Co-Choreography); '' One Night Stand'' (Choreography) *1979 '' Carmelina'' (Choreography) *1978 '' Bar Mitzvah Boy'' (London) (Choreography) *1977 ''Annie'' (Choreography) *1973 '' Irene'' (Choreography) *1969 '' Jimmy!'' (Choreography) *1964 '' Bajour'' (Choreography) *1964 ''West Side Story'' (revival) (Co-Choreographer) *1962 '' Mr. President'' (Choreography) *1960 '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (Choreography) *1959 '' Fiorello!'' (Choreography) *1957 ''West Side Story'' (Co-Choreography) *1956 ''Bells Are Ringing'' (Performer) *1954 ''The Pajama Game'' (Performer) *1950 ''Guys and Dolls'' (Performer) *1950 '' Arms and the Girl'' (Performer) *1948 ''Kiss Me Kate'' (Performer) *1948 ''Make Mine Manhattan'' (Performer)


Awards and nominations

;Awards * 1977 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography – ''Annie'' * 1977 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Annie'' ;Nominations * 1960 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Fiorello!'' * 1965 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Bajour'' * 1973 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Irene'' * 1982 Tony Award for Best Choreography – ''Little Me'' * 1999 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Theatre Choreographer – ''Annie''


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gennaro, Peter 1919 births 2000 deaths American choreographers American male dancers Drama Desk Award winners Tony Award winners People from Paramus, New Jersey American people of Italian descent Paramus High School alumni 20th-century American dancers Musical theatre choreographers