Andy Blankenbuehler
{{Short description|Broadway dancer and choreographer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Andy Blankenbuehler
| image =
| alt =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|03|07}}
| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
| education = Southern Methodist University
| occupation = {{hlist|Dancer|choreographer|director}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| awards = Tony Award for Best Choreography (2008, 2016, 2017)
}}
Andy Blankenbuehler (born March 7, 1970){{cite web |title=Andy Blankenbuehler |url=http://broadwayworld.com/people/?personid=10033 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=February 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713193907/http://broadwayworld.com/people/?personid=10033 |archive-date=July 13, 2009}} is an American dancer, choreographer and director primarily for stage and concerts. He has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Choreography five times, and has won three times: for In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2016), and Bandstand (2017). Blankenbuehler's other Broadway choreography work includes 9 to 5, Bring it On: The Musical, and the 2016 Cats revival. Blankenbuehler was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018 for his work on Hamilton. He also choreographed the movie adaptation of Cats. Most recently he choreographed, directed and co-wrote Only Gold{{Cite web |title=ONLY GOLD |url=https://mcctheater.org/tix/only-gold/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=MCC Theater |language=en-US}} - a new musical with Music by Kate Nash{{Citation |title=Kate Nash |date=2023-01-18 |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kate_Nash&oldid=1134330889 |work=Wikipedia |access-date=2023-03-06 |language=en}} at MCC Theater.
Life and career
Blankenbuehler was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a 1988 graduate of St. Xavier High School and 1984 graduate of Nativity School in Cincinnati.{{cite news|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CEQB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=11BE90B71C375BB0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=0D0CB579A3BDA420|title=St. X alumnus wins choreography award|first=Jackie|last=Demaline|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|publisher=Gannett Company|date=2007-05-13|page=D5|access-date=2007-12-09|format=fee required|quote=A standing O to Cincinnati native and St. Xavier High School grad Andy Blankenbuehler, who won New York theater's Lucille Lortel Award last week as choreographer of off-Broadway hit 'In the Heights,' booked at the 37 Arts Theatre through July 15.}}{{Dead link|date=June 2022}} He received his bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
As a performer, he has appeared on Broadway in many musicals, from Guys and Dolls (1992–1995) to Fosse (1999–2001).{{cite web|title=Andy Blankenbuehler|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/andy-blankenbuehler-32280|website=IBDB: Internet Broadway Database|publisher=Broadway League|access-date=June 24, 2022}}
His Broadway work as a choreographer includes the musicals In the Heights (2007–08) and 9 to 5 (2008–09). He won the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for his choreography for In the Heights. Other New York work includes choreography for the "Broadway By The Year:1930, 1938 and 1978" series, and the City Center Encores! productions of The Apple Tree (2006) and The Wiz (2009).{{cite web |title=Andy Blankenbuehler Faculty Bio |url=https://www.broadwaydancecenter.com/faculty/andy-blankenbuehler |website=Broadway Dance Center |date=8 August 2016 |access-date=June 24, 2022}}{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |title=The Wiz Ends Limited City Center Engagement July 5 |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/the-wiz-ends-limited-city-center-engagement-july-5-com-162440 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 23, 2022 |date=July 5, 2009}} He is the director and choreographer of Bring It On: The Musical, written by Jeff Whitty, with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Amanda Green, which premiered at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia, on January 16, 2011.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Kenneth |last2=Hetrick |first2=Adam |title=Something to Cheer About: Bring It On: The Musical Begins Atlanta Run Jan. 16 After Ice Delay |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/something-to-cheer-about-bring-it-on-the-musical-begins-atlanta-run-jan-16-after-ice-delay-com-175250 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 23, 2022 |date=January 16, 2011}} This production also performed at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles where Blankenbuehler won the 2011 L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography.
Additionally, Blankenbuehler choreographed the Frank Wildhorn world premiere production of Waiting for the Moon. The show featured 6 full-length dance sequences,{{cite web |last=Buehler |first=Pati |title=Waiting for the Moon, An Interview with Frank Wildhorn and Jack Murphy |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/philadelphia/article/Waiting-for-the-Moon-An-Interview-with-Frank-Wildhorn-and-Jack-Murphy-20050728 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=June 24, 2022 |date=July 28, 2005}} including one that lasted over 10 minutes. He was nominated for a Barrymore Award for Choreographing the show.
Blankenbuehler has choreographed for Bette Midler and directed, choreographed, and co-conceived the production "Nights On Broadway" at Caesars Palace.
Blankenbuehler appears briefly in the 2008 documentary Every Little Step about the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, with his Polaroid shown as one of the people being cut from a callback for the show.
He choreographed the 2012 Broadway revival of Annie. He is the choreographer for the musical Hamilton (2015), both Off-Broadway and on Broadway.{{cite web|title=Andy Blankenbuehler (Choreographer)|url=https://www.playbill.com/person/andy-blankenbuehler-vault-0000004169|website=Playbill|access-date=June 23, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Andy Blankenbuehler |url=http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/7542 |website=Internet Off-Broadway Database |access-date=June 23, 2022}} He received a special 2015 Drama Desk Award for Hamilton. The award was described: "For his inspired and heart-stopping choreography in Hamilton, which is indispensable to the musical's storytelling. His body of work is versatile, yet a dynamic and fluid style is consistently evident. When it's time to 'take his shot,' Blankenbuehler hits the bull's-eye."{{cite web |title=Hamilton{{'}}s Andy Blankenbuehler Offers Moving Speech at 60th Annual Drama Desk Awards |url=https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/andy-blankenbuehler-drama-desk-speech_73108.html |website=TheaterMania |date=June 2, 2015}} His choreography for Hamilton won the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 2016.
He both directed and choreographed a new musical, Bandstand, which premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse (New Jersey) in October 2015. The music is by Richard Oberacker and book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Oberacker.{{cite web |last=Simoes |first=Monica |title=See Laura Osnes and Corey Cott Go 1940s in Bandstand Musical Rehearsals! |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/see-laura-osnes-and-corey-cott-go-1940s-in-bandstand-musical-rehearsals-com-364241 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 23, 2022 |date=September 25, 2015}} He directed and choreographed a developmental lab of this musical in August and September 2014, then titled Bandstand: A Musical.{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |title=Tony Winner Andy Blankenbuehler Will Helm NYC Workshop of Bandstand: A Musical |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/tony-winner-andy-blankenbuehler-will-helm-nyc-workshop-of-bandstand-a-musical-com-218731 |website=Playbill |access-date=June 23, 2022 |date=May 27, 2014}}
In 2016, Blankenbuehler choreographed the revival of the movie Dirty Dancing starring Abigail Breslin and Shane Harper. He also choreographed the revival of the Broadway musical Cats with previews beginning July 14 and an August 2 opening.
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result
!Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006
| Outstanding Choreography/Movement | {{nom}} | | ||||
| 2007
| rowspan="2"| In the Heights | {{win}} | | ||||
| 2008
| rowspan=2|Tony Award | rowspan=2|Best Choreography | {{win}} | | ||||
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| rowspan="2"| 9 to 5 | {{nom}} | | ||||
| Drama Desk Award
| {{nom}} | | ||||
| 2011
| Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award | Best Choreography | rowspan="2"| Bring It On | {{win}} | | ||||
| 2013
| {{nom}} | | ||||
| 2015
| rowspan="2"| Hamilton | {{win}} | | ||||
| 2016
| {{win}} | ||||
| 2023
| Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography in an Off Broadway Show | {{win}} | ||||
| rowspan="3" |2017
| rowspan="3" |Bandstand | {{win}} | | ||||
| Drama Desk Award
|{{win}} | | ||||
| Outer Critics Circle Award
| Outstanding Choreographer | {{nom}} | | ||||
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:center;"|2018
|rowspan=2|Hamilton | {{win}} | | ||||
| colspan=2 |Kennedy Center Honors (shared with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alex Lacamoire and Thomas Kail)
|{{won}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{IMDb name|1477859}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110218215811/http://atlantaboy.com/andy-blankenbuehler-bring-it-on-musical-interview/ Interview] with AtlantaBoy.com (February 16, 2011)
- [https://www.playbill.com/article/playbillcoms-brief-encounter-with-andy-blankenbuehler-com-176757 Interview] with Playbill (June 4, 2008)
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Andy Blankenbuehler
| list =
{{DramaDesk Choreography 2001–2025}}
{{Kennedy Center Honorees 2010s}}
{{OlivierAward Choreographer}}
{{TonyAward Choreography 2001-2025}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blankenbuehler, Andy}}
Category:American choreographers
Category:American male dancers
Category:Drama Desk Award winners
Category:Kennedy Center honorees
Category:Musical theatre choreographers
Category:People from Cincinnati