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* [http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=79442 Lawrence Leritz:Internet Broadway Database]
* [http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=79442 Lawrence Leritz:Internet Broadway Database]
* [http://www.broadwayspace.com/profile/LawrenceLeritz]
* [http://www.broadwayspace.com/profile/LawrenceLeritz:Broadway Space]


{{Dance}}
{{Dance}}

Revision as of 14:01, 14 September 2010

Lawrence Leritz (born September 26, 1962) is an American dancer, singer, actor, producer, fitness expert and choreographer.

Career

Born in Alton, Illinois, Leritz made his stage debut in the children's chorus of the world stage premiere of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical State Fair at The Muny, starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, directed by James Hammerstein, supervised by Richard Rodgers and choreographed by Tommy Tune.

Leritz moved to New York City on scholarships to the Harkness Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and School of American Ballet, studying with Alexandra Danilova and Stanley Williams. He was invited to work with the dance choreographers George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Alvin Ailey, Robert Joffrey, Ruth Page, John Neumeier, Lee Theodore and Sir Frederick Ashton. Major dance companies included The New York City Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, Chicago Ballet, Israel's Bat-Dor Dance Company and with the Paris Opéra on its U.S. tour to the Metropolitan Opera and DC's Kennedy Center. Lawrence appeared guest artist and choreographer at Plácido Domingo's Los Angeles Music Center Opera and danced in the Joffrey Ballet version of Michel Fokine's "Petrushka" with Rudolf Nureyev at the New York City Center. Leritz created his own company, Dance Celebration, which represented the United States at the International Choreographic Competitions in Paris, performing his signature ballet, "Worth A Song," receiving special congratulations from The White House. Leritz appeared twice on the cover of Dance Pages Magazine. Leritz appeared Off-Broadway in "Funding The Arts" at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, May 2010, acting and dancing the role of CIA villain J. Edgar Dyson.[1][2] [3]

Leritz also appeared on Broadway in Jerome Robbin's revival of Fiddler on the Roof,[4] Fonteyn & Nureyev on Broadway [5] and American Dance Machine. Leritz returned to co-star at The Muny with Broadway's Judy Kaye, John Reardon, John Schuck, Beth Leavel and his dance partner, Lorene Yarnell in Cole Porter's Can-Can.[6] He has also acted in feature films including Across the Universe, [7] The Adjustment Bureau, [8] Dummy, [9] Easy Money [10] and the HBO feature Stag with Ben Gazzara, Kevin Dillon and Taylor Dayne.[11] Leritz's television appearances include NBC's Saturday Night Live" with Nathan Lane,[12] CBS's Capitol, ABC's All My Children, CBS's Cosby,[13] and in HBO's Sex And The City; [14] talk shows including The Rosie O'Donnell Show with Liza Minnelli,[15] Maury,[16] CNN's Showbiz Tonight and Entertainment Tonight.

Leritz is also known in the fitness world as the choreographer to many bodybuilding stars, which included the NBC Sports television special "Arnold Schwarzenegger's Bodybuilding Arnold Classic" in 1989. Lawrence hosted and created the DVD "Total Stretch! with Lawrence Leritz" [17] and appears in numerous issues of Joe Weider's "Muscle & Fitness" and "Men's Fitness magazines.

Leritz also produces for stage and television, including the annual television event "Day of Compassion", for which Time magazine honored Leritz as their 1996 Local Hero.[18] During the 2003-2004 season, Leritz was the producer and choreographer of the Off-Broadway revue, Boobs! The Musical.[19] [20] "Boobs! The Musical" won New Orleans' 2005 Big Easy and Ambie Awards, Wichita's 2006 Teall Award and was nominated for the 2004 Mac Awards for Best Musical Revue. Leritz produced The 50th Anniversary Gala of The American Guild of Musical Artists, starring Beverly Sills and Peter Martins at The New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center in 1986. Lawrence also choreographed the Motown feature film, "The Last Dragon",[21] the mime duo Shields & Yarnell for Atlantic City and for MTV.

Leritz is the Spectrum Records recording artist of the dance hit single "Crank It Up" produced by Cory Wade, performing on tour with The Weather Girls, Laura Branigan, Sylvester, Natalie Cole and starred during the final month at the Las Vegas Stardust Hotel. In 2006, Leritz was included in Harvard University's George Balanchine Collection of The New York City Ballet at The Harvard Theatre Collection and The Harvard College Library.

Awards, nominations and citations

  • 2004 Mac Awards Best Musical Revue (Producer nominee)
  • 2005 Big Easy Awards Best Musical (Producer nominee)
  • 2006 Teall Awards Best Musical (Producer nominee)
  • 1996 Time Magazine's Local Hero
  • 1987 Lawrence Leritz Day Proclamation, Alton, Illinois
  • 1983 Lawrence Leritz Day Proclamation, Wood River, Illinois

See also

References

  1. ^ http://fldttest.squarespace.com/fldt-blog
  2. ^ http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Baryshnikov_Arts_Center_Presents_FUNDING_FOR_THE_ARTS_May_1216_20100414
  3. ^ http://theater.nytimes.com/show/24773/Felice-Lesser-Dance-Theater-Funding-the-Arts/overview
  4. ^ http://ibdb.com/person.php?id=79442
  5. ^ http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=13100
  6. ^ http://www.stltoday.com/
  7. ^ http://www.inbaseline.com/searchResult.aspx?typeId=0&keyword=lawrence%20leritz
  8. ^ http://sinema.yedincigemi.com/7g-39618-The-Adjustment-Bureau.html
  9. ^ http://www.filmweb.pl/f5238/Brzuchom%C3%B3wca,2002
  10. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085470/fullcredits
  11. ^ http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117341381.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=leritz
  12. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694746/
  13. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0547136/
  14. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0698645/
  15. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115338/
  16. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0786818/
  17. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247776/
  18. ^ ADAMS, KATHLEEN (June 24, 1996). "NOTEBOOK". Time (magazine). Retrieved 2008-11-15. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=3071
  20. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/29/arts/theater-review-she-doesn-t-need-her-vocal-chords-to-sing.html?scp=5&sq=boobs%20the%20musical&st=cse
  21. ^ http://www.hollywood.com/movie/The_Last_Dragon/230630

External links

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