Thomas Kail

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Thomas Kail
Born Birth date missing
Alexandria, Virginia
Nationality American
Occupation Film and theatre director
Awards SSDC Joseph A. Callaway Award (for In the Heights)

Thomas Kail (born in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American film and theatre director, known for directing the Broadway and Off-Broadway productions of the musical In the Heights.[1]

Personal life

Kail grew up in Alexandria, Virginia[2] and graduated from Sidwell Friends School in 1995 and subsequently from Wesleyan University in 1999.[3][4] He remains good friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda, whom he met at Wesleyan and with whom he co-created the freestyle hip-hop dance group "Freestyle Love Supreme".[5][6]

Career

After graduating from Wesleyan University, Kail became assistant stage manager at New Jersey's American Stage Company.[7]

Kail directed the 24 Hour Plays benefit performances in 2007 and 2008, where "6 short plays are written, rehearsed, directed, and performed in 24 hours."[8] In 2007, he directed Julia Jordan's A Bus Stop Play, and Beau Willimon's Zusammenbruch in 2008. Both shows played at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway.[9]

Kail directed the hit Broadway musical In the Heights, which garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical.[10] The musical premiered on Broadway, starting in previews on February 14, 2008, with an official opening on March 9, 2008 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.[11]

Kail directed Broke-ology, which played from October 5, 2009 to November 22, 2009, at the Lincoln Center Theater off-Broadway. This play garnered Kail an AUDELCO Award nomination for Best Director of a Dramatic Production.[12] Kail also staged the world premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.[13]

Also in 2009, Kail directed the New York City Center's Encores! production of the musical The Wiz.[14][15][16]

Kail also directed Eric Simonson's play Lombardi, based on Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi through a week in the 1965 season, as he attempts to lead his team to the championship.[17][18][19] Lombardi officially premiered on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on October 21, 2010.[20]

He then directed the off-Broadway run of Nathan Louis Jackson's When I Come To Die, which ran in January and February 2011.[21][13]

With Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kail wrote the closing rap for the 65th Tony Awards telecast on June 12, 2011, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.[22]

Kail will reunite with Lombardi playwright Eric Simonson on MAGIC/BIRD, a new play chronicling the intertwined life stories of basketball Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Earvin"Magic" Johnson. "The play, with a six-character cast, will premiere at a Broadway theatre TBA in Spring 2012."[23]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2006
Critical Hours
Director, Writer, Executive Producer
 Television pilot
2008
Roadtrip Nation
Himself
 TV episode
2009
Storymakers
Director
 TV episode
In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams
Himself
 Episode of PBS' Great Performances
The Electric Company
Musical director
 TV series
2010
The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special
Director
 Talk show episode

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
2007
Outer Critics Circle Award
Outstanding Director of a Musical
In the Heights
 Nominated
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Director of a Musical
 Nominated
SSDC Joseph A. Callaway Award
Best Director
 Won
2008
Tony Award
Best Director of a Musical
 Nominated
2010
AUDELCO Award
Best Director of a Dramatic Production
Broke-ology
 Nominated
2011
NAACP Award
Best Director of a Musical
In the Heights
 Won
2011
AUDELCO Award
Best Director of a Dramatic Production
When I Come To Die
 Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Bacalzo, Daniel. "In the Heights Director Thomas Kail Receives Martin E. Segal Award". Theatre Mania. 2010-05-10.
  2. ↑ "Thomas Kail". Lincoln Center Theater. July 31, 2009.
  3. ↑ American Theatre Wing. "Biographies - Thomas Kail, Director" June 2009.
  4. ↑ http://www.wesleyan.edu/newsrel/media/voices/kail2.html
  5. ↑ "Playbill's Who's Who Biographies"
  6. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "In the Heights' Lin-Manuel Miranda Sets Freestyle Love Supreme Date at Irving Plaza". Playbill. January 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Thomas Kail" broadway.com
  8. ↑ The Broadway League. 24 Hour Plays (2007) | IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information. Internet Broadway Database
  9. ↑ The Broadway League. 24 Hour Plays (2008) | IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information. Internet Broadway Database
  10. ↑ Kennedy, Mark. "Thomas Kail Enjoying His 'Year of Transition'". ABC News. 2010-12-10.
  11. ↑ Kenneth Jones. "In the Heights Will Play Broadway's Richard Rodgers Starting February 2008". Playbil.
  12. ↑ Brokeology. Lortel Archives/Internet Off-Broadway Database.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Hetrick, Adam. Tony Nominee Kail and Jackson Will Collaborate for Upcoming LCT3 Season. Playbill.
  14. ↑ . TheaterMania. Feb 24, 2009.
  15. ↑ NY City Center's The Wiz listing
  16. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "The Wiz Ends Limited City Center Engagement July 5", playbill.com, July 5, 2009
  17. ↑ "N.F.L. Gets Behind 'Lombardi'". nytimes.com. 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2010-09-16. 
  18. ↑ Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth. "Heights Director Kail to Direct Football-Themed Lombardi at Broadway's Circle in the Square" playbill.com, April 14, 2010
  19. ↑ Murray, Larry (2010-05-18). "Lombardi". Berkshire On Stage. Retrieved 2010-12-11. 
  20. ↑ "Lombardi, IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information". The Broadway League. Retrieved 2010-12-11. 
  21. ↑ When I Come To Die. Lortel Archives/Internet Off-Broadway Database.
  22. ↑ Itzkoff, David (June 14, 2011). "Rhyme Schemes: See the Creation of the Tony Awards’ Closing Rap". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  23. ↑ http://broadwayworld.com/article/Thomas-Kail-to-Direct-MAGICBIRD-Creative-Team-Announced-20110920

External links

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