Thommie Walsh
| Thommie Walsh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thomas Joseph Walsh III March 15, 1950 Auburn, New York, USA |
| Died | June 16, 2007 (aged 57) Auburn, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Choreographer, dancer |
| Website | |
| http://www.thommiewalsh.com | |
Thomas Joseph “Thommie” Walsh III (March 15, 1950 – June 16, 2007) was an American dancer, choreographer, and director.
Contents |
Biography [edit]
Born in Auburn, New York, Walsh was interested in dance from the age of five, but seriously considered foregoing it as a career when he was rejected by Juilliard. He enrolled in the Boston Conservatory of Music but departed during his junior year to tour with Disney on Parade. Following that he joined the national tour of Applause, departing to accept a small role in the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar. He is the cousin of Michel Cosentino, originally from Auburn/Weedsport, New York and Michel's daughter, Ava Cosentino, who is following in Thommie's footsteps in the dance world.
Personal life [edit]
Thommie was known for his unique sense of style (Example: Checkered Vans with a Pinstriped Suit), as well as his incomparable and well known sense of humor. With such a developed reputation in the industry, Thommie was brought in as a show doctor on many of Broadway's greatest hits during the 1980s. Many numbers in Grand Hotel were actually choreographed by Thommie Walsh.
A Chorus Line [edit]
Walsh made his Broadway debut in the chorus of Seesaw in 1973, the same year in which he appeared in the disastrous Broadway flop Rachael Lily Rosenbloom (And Don't You Ever Forget It), which starred Ellen Greene and Anita Morris.
In 1975 Walsh was invited by choreographer Tony Stevens to participate in a series of frank conversations among Broadway dancers, known as "gypsies," about their experiences, hopes, and dreams. The result was Michael Bennett's A Chorus Line (1976), in which he originated the role of Bobby. The role of Bobby was in large part based on his life and also used material from a comedy stand-up routine he used at the time. (Samples: "I thought about killing myself, but then I realized to commit suicide in Buffalo is redundant." and "I used to break into people's houses. I didn't steal anything; I'd just rearrange their furniture.") He co-wrote a book with Baayork Lee, another Chorus Line cast member, about the musical's origins and evolution, entitled On the Line, which was published by William Morrow in 1990.
Choreography and direction [edit]
Walsh soon abandoned his dancing career to concentrate on choreography, musical staging, and direction. His credits include The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1978) with Chorus cast member Pam Blair, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine (1980), with Chorus cast member Priscilla Lopez, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (1982), Nine (1982), My One and Only (1983) with Chorus cast member Ron Dennis, Marilyn: An American Fable (1983), and My Favorite Year (1992).
He also directed Donna McKechnie's one-woman show Inside the Music (2002).
At the time of his death, he was preparing a musical adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities for a Broadway opening. Much of his best work was done in collaboration with Tommy Tune including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Thommie also judged for Danny Hoctor's Dance Caravan and Stars of Tomorrow in conjunction with the Professional Dance Teachers Association.
Thommie Walsh died at his Auburn, New York home from lymphoma at aged 57.
Awards and nominations [edit]
- Awards
- 1976 Theatre World Award for Ensemble Performance – A Chorus Line
- 1980 Tony Award for Best Choreography – A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine
- 1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography – My One And Only
- 1983 Tony Award for Best Choreography – My One And Only
- Nominations
- 1982 Tony Award for Best Choreography – Nine
- 1983 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – My One And Only
Bibliography [edit]
- Viagas, Robert; Lee, Baayork; Walsh, Thommie (1990). On the Line: The Creation of a Chorus Line (First ed.). New York: William Morrow. ISBN 0-688-08429-X.
References [edit]
- Charles Isherwood (2007-06-19). "Thommie Walsh, Dancer and Tony Winner, Dies at 57". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-13.[dead link]
- Andrew Gans (17 Jun 2007). "Thommie Walsh, Tony-Winning Choreographer, Dead at 57". playbill. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
External links [edit]
- Thommie Walsh official website
- Thommie Walsh at the Internet Broadway Database
- Thommie Walsh at the Internet Movie Database
- Thommie Walsh at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
