Anthony Van Laast
Anthony Van Laast {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE}} is a British choreographer born 31 May 1951{{Cite web |title=Anthony van Laast |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100046922}} in Sussex, UK.[http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/lifestyle/entertainment/profile_anthony_van_laast_holiday_on_ice_mystery_artistic_director_1_241926 "Anthony Van Laast – Holiday on Ice Mystery artistic director"] Worthing Herald, 14 November 2008 He has worked mainly for the stage, concerts, television and film. His works have appeared in the West End and on Broadway.
Career
Van Laast received dance training at the London School of Contemporary Dance, and both performed and choreographed with the company.[http://www.mamma-mia.com/creative/mammamia_london_anthonyVanLaast.html Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403003521/http://www.mamma-mia.com/creative/mammamia_london_anthonyVanLaast.html |date=2011-04-03 }} www.mamma-mia.com, accessed March 14, 2011
In 1979, he worked with Kate Bush in preparation for her tour. Among his prominent stage works as a choreographer are the musicals Sister Act (2011 on Broadway and 2009 West End),[http://www.sisteractbroadway.com/creative.html "'Sister Act' Creatives"] Sisteractbroadway.com, accessed March 14, 2011 Bombay Dreams (2004),Brantley.[http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9d06e0d6163df933a05757c0a9629c8b63 "Coloring By the Numbers"] The New York Times, April 30, 2004 Mamma Mia! (2001),Brantley, Ben.[http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?id=1077011420193&fid=.f5616a6 "Mom Had a Trio (And a Band, Too)"] The New York Times, October 19, 2001 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1993), Annie Get Your Gun (1986, West End),{{cite web
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}} and Song & Dance (1982, West End).[http://www.reallyuseful.com/shows/song-dance/history-inspiration/about-the-show-1 "'Song & Dance' history"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317162645/http://www.reallyuseful.com/shows/song-dance/history-inspiration/about-the-show-1 |date=2011-03-17 }} Reallyuseful.com, accessed March 14, 2011 He co-directed and choreographed EFX, the Las Vegas stage show at the MGM Grand starring Michael Crawford in 1995.Gerard, Jeremy.[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117904128?refCatId=31 "Review: EFX"] Variety (subscription required), May 3, 1995 He has choreographed for Holiday on Ice, including "Extravaganza" in 1997, "Hollywood" (2002), and he is the artistic director for "Mystery" (2009).
His television and film work includes the concert Sarah Brightman: Symphony in Vienna (2008),[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224452/fullcredits#cast Sarah Brightman: Symphony in Vienna listing] InternetMovieDataBase.com, accessed March 14, 2011 Beauty and the Beast (2017 film),"'Beauty and the Beast' (2017)" wikipedia.com accessed September 2, 2017 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.[http://www.tcmuk.tv/movie_database_results.php?action=title&id=778108 "'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1' (2010)"] tcmuk.tv, accessed March 14, 2011
He received a nomination for the Tony Award, Best Choreography, jointly with Farah Khan for Bombay Dreams.[https://www.usatoday.com/life/theater/news/2004-05-10-tony-nods_x.htm List of nominees for 2004 Tony Awards] USAToday.com (The Associated Press), May 10, 2004 For his work on the musical Hair (Old Vic) and for The Beggar's Opera (the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican), he was nominated for the Olivier Award, Best Theatre Choreographer in 1994.[http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item98528/Olivier-Winners-1994/ "Olivier Winners, 1994"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224095916/http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item98528/Olivier-Winners-1994/ |date=December 24, 2013 }} OlivierAwards.com, accessed March 14, 2011 Van Laast was awarded the MBE for Services to Dance and Choreography in 1999. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to Dance and Choreography.
Van Laast is a patron of the Urdang Academy.
References
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External links
- {{IBDB name|1499}}
- {{IMDb name|0887341}}
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Category:English choreographers
Category:English people of Dutch descent
Category:Musical theatre choreographers