Jeff Whiting
{{Short description|American theatre director}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
Jeff Whiting (born March 27, 1972) is an American theater director, choreographer,{{cite web |last=IBDB |title=The Broadway League |url=http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=473698 |work=Internet Broadway Database |accessdate=July 29, 2012}} performer and entrepreneur.{{cite news |last=Cox |first=Gordon |title=Legit Theatre Creatives Spawn Apps |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118049702 |accessdate=July 29, 2012 |newspaper=Variety |date=February 4, 2012}} He has been involved in theatrical productions, concerts, operas and special events around the world. Whiting is also known for developing "Stage Write," an app that allows creation, duplication and editing of floorplan charts to facilitate stage choreography.{{cite news |last=Hedli |first=Laura |title=Saying Goodbye to the Stage Bible |url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118049702 |accessdate=July 30, 2012 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=April 5, 2012}}
Biography
Whiting was born in Denver, Colorado, the son of David L. Whiting and Bette Whiting (née Snelson). He was the third of five siblings. He grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the age of 10, he was introduced to theater, dance, acting and singing, under Xan S. Johnson's tutoring at The University of Utah's Children's Theater program. In 1996 he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Dance Theater from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
Whiting began his performing career after graduation. He made his first professional appearance in 1996 as Quasimodo in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. In 1997, Whiting moved to New York City and performed in numerous regional theatrical productions.
With a desire to create new works for the theater, Whiting began to find work as a director and choreographer.{{cite web |last=Robinson |first=Doug |title=Utahn hits the big time on Broadway |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865591652/Utahn-hits-the-big-time-on-Broadway.html?pg=all |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202135739/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865591652/Utahn-hits-the-big-time-on-Broadway.html?pg=all |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |publisher=Deseret News |accessdate=December 1, 2013}} He was hired as an assistant director for the national tours of Hairspray and The Producers, which is how he was introduced to Susan Stroman. In 2007, Stroman invited him to be assistant choreographer on the Broadway production of Young Frankenstein, marking Whiting's first Broadway credit.{{cite web |last=Networks |title=Young Frankenstein The Musical |url=http://www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com/creative-team/jeff-whiting.html |work=Networks Presentations |accessdate=July 30, 2012}} He went on to collaborate with Stroman on several other projects. He was assistant director and choreographer on Happiness at Lincoln Center
and was associate director/choreographer on The Scottsboro Boys, which received 12 Tony nominations.{{cite web |title=Scottsboro Boys Creative Team |url=http://scottsboromusical.com/creative.html |work=NAMCO |accessdate=July 30, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017162444/http://scottsboromusical.com/creative.html |archivedate=October 17, 2012}} He was also Diane Paulus' associate director on the Broadway revival of Hair, which won the Tony Award for best musical revival.{{cite news |last=Krulwich |first=Sara |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/theater/theaterspecial/05tonyslist.html |title=2009 Tony Award Winners |accessdate=July 30, 2012 |newspaper=NY Times |date=May 4, 2009}} In 2013, Jeff was the Associate Director for Big Fish. In 2014, Jeff was the Associate Director for Bullets Over Broadway.
In addition to his work on Broadway, Whiting has directed numerous concerts and events. His work includes a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall with James Taylor (starring James Taylor, Bette Midler, Sting, Steve Martin and Tony Bennett){{cite web |title=Figuring Out the Set List! |last=Taylor |first=James |url=http://www.jamestaylor.com/gallery/ |work=James Taylor |accessdate=July 30, 2012}} and "A Tribute to Susan Stroman" (co-hosted by Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane and produced by The Vineyard Theatre).{{cite web |title=Stro! A Gala Celebration |url=http://www2.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumnpics.cfm?colid=214416&photoid=272357 |work=Broadway World |accessdate=July 30, 2012}} Opera credits include We Open In Paris at Glimmerglass Opera.
Whiting directed and choreographed the World Premiere production of Chasing Rainbows: Road to Oz, highlighting the life of Judy Garland, at Flatrock Playhouse in 2015.
Whiting delivered a TEDTalk on February 7, 2016 titled "Rising Beyond Limits with Open Jar Thinking" at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. He has also directed and choreographed numerous events and shows for The Walt Disney Company in the USA, Brazil, Mexico and India.
Stage Write Software
In 2012, Whiting released a software application for directors, choreographers and stage managers called Stage Write. According to members of the Broadway community, the app has revolutionized the task of documenting staging and choreography.{{cite web |last=Simonson |first=Robert |authorlink1=Robert Simonson |title=Broadway Choreographer Starts Revolution With Stage Write iPad app |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/185282-Broadway-Choreographer-Starts-Revolution-With-Stage-Write-iPad-App/pg1 |publisher=Playbill |accessdate=December 16, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.stagewritesoftware.com/Reviews.html |title=WHO'S USING STAGE WRITE? |publisher=Stage Write Software |accessdate=July 21, 2013}} It was lauded by the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers as "the new standard in documentation" for directors and choreographers.{{cite web |last=Filichia |first=Peter |title=Right Way is the Stage Write Way |url=http://mtiblog.mtishows.com/filichia-features-the-right-way-is-the-stage-write-way |work=Music Theatre International |publisher=MTI |accessdate=July 30, 2012}} The app is already in use on numerous Broadway productions, concert tours, television shows and films in production around the globe. Apple featured StageWrite as part of their 'Life on iPad' campaign as was selected from over 140,000 apps to be featured.{{cite web |last=Apple |title=Leading Moves on Broadway |url=https://www.apple.com/ipad/life-on-ipad/leading-moves-on-broadway/ |accessdate=December 12, 2013}} Apple also featured the app during the 2013 Apple Keynote{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Timothy |title=Apple Keynote Event |url=https://www.apple.com/apple-events/october-2013/ |accessdate=October 22, 2013}} and was mentioned by Apple CEO, Tim Cook, by saying "Honestly, we could never have imagined all of the ways that people are using the iPad. Today we celebrate some of our customers creativity and genius of using their iPads…" {{cite web |last=Apple |title=Life on iPad: StageWrite |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Le9wvoY00&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE_M8A5yxnLfW0KghEeajjw |accessdate=October 22, 2013}}
The Open Jar Institute
In 2003, Whiting founded The Open Jar Institute, which allows young actors to train one-on-one with Broadway professionals. The institute provides workshops and masterclasses with professionals for students from around the world.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.jeffwhiting.com/}}
- [http://stagewritesoftware.com/ Stage Write Software website]
- [http://www.openjarinstitute.com/default.html The Open Jar Institute website]
- {{IBDB name|473698}}
- {{Playbill person|jeff-whiting-vault-0000004680}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120714114608/http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/4680/Jeff-Whiting archive])
- {{YouTube|5UOsnYfMSiE|Jeff Whiting TEDTalk "Rising Beyond Limits with Open Jar Thinking"}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiting, Jeff}}
Category:American choreographers