ipl-logo

Thomas James Tune: Classical Dancer

1521 Words7 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Classical dance essay

Thomas James Tune, born in Wichita Falls, Texas, decided at a very young age that he wanted to become a classical dancer, and began training in ballet. Being the entertainer that he was, he would put on plays and dance pieces in his garage in front of his entire family. When Tommy got to High School, all of his dreams of being a classical dancer went out the window when he reached six feet, six inches tall; he knew that this height would not work in the classical dance world that he so longed to be apart of, so he began to concentrate on a different form of dance, tap. He attended Lamar High School in Houston, Texas where he impressed his theater teachers with his natural ability to entertain and his quick feat.They encouraged Tune to think …show more content…

After graduation, he moved to New York to start his career. On the first day that Tommy was in New York, he decided to go to his very first professional audition. Much to his surprise, he was offered the job on the spot. This job was a part in the chorus in the Broadway production of Baker Street in 1965. Mr. Tune left a wonderful impression on everyone who he worked with. The directors of the show raved about Tommy to all of their friends. They felt as if they had discovered a star. Tommy was amazing to work with not only because of his immense talent, but also because of his spirit and love of life as well as his love for theatre. This attitude would make him widely popular in the industry. From this point on, Tune got offered one job after the other. John Simon, a drama critic said he was "as long on talent as on legs", which would prove to be true in the years to come.
After his Broadway debut in Baker Street, Tune’s career took of and didn’t ever seem to slow down. Tommy Tune worked again in the chorus of A Joyful Noise in 1967 and then again in How Now Dow Jones …show more content…

Wanting a break from the pressure of Broadway, Tune decided to move to off Broadway to direct Caryl Churchill 's play Cloud 9 earning him a Drama Desk Award and an Obie Award for Direction. In 1982, Tommy returned to Broadway and he directed the original production of the musical Nine and received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction as well as the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. His next project would be one of his most successful and challenging as he took on directing, choreographing, and starring in the Broadway production of My One and Only in 1983 alongside his most cherished dance partner and old gal pal, Twiggy. For this production he was nominated at the Tony Awards for Best Direction, but won The Tony for Best Leading Actor and Best Choreography, as well the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography. After this huge success Tommy directed another Broadway play titled Stepping Out. After a short break from working, Tune took on another huge project directing and choreographing the Broadway production of Grand Hotel, which won him two Drama Desk Awards (Outstanding Direction and Choreography,) as well as two Tony Awards (Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography.) His final directing and choreographing project would be in 1991 when he took on The Will Rogers Follies, which won him Two Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography, and also a

Show More
Related
866 Words | 4 Pages

Restricted to the indoors for the next two years of his life, Roy Acuff began to improve his musical skills. He accomplished this through learning to play the fiddle and developing his vocal skills. He was influenced by musicians such as Johnny Carson, Gid Tanner, and the Skillet Lickers. In 1932, Acuff joined a musical act in a traveling medicine show to sell “Moc-a-Tan Elixir.” Later, Roy Acuff started a country music band, the Tennessee Crackjacks, which quickly gained a local following.

Read More
621 Words | 3 Pages

Alvin Ailey has worked on and off with broadway. In 1958 Ailey and another dancer with an interest in choreographing recruited dancers to perform several concerts at the 92nd Street Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association in New York City, a place where modern dances and the works of new choreographers were

Read More
670 Words | 3 Pages

After writing a series of letters, he begins to start working on the musical I Know I’ve Been Changed. He saved up $12,000 and rented out an Atlanta theater in 1992. For this musical, he was the director, producer, promoter, and he also started in the musical himself. Even though he did all this hard work for this musical to be successful, he did not get the crowd that he expected to get.

Read More
1041 Words | 5 Pages

It seems like it may be years, if at all that there will ever be such an influential couple of men such as Rodgers and Hammerstein that ever have such an impact on musical theater. Their names are synonymous with musical theater and that will never change. Without them, many Broadway stars may not have gotten their time to shine including Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin. It is fascinating how the two never thought that they would ever have a career together and then once paired they would make history from their first piece of work all the way up until their last with infinite fame coming from their many years of hard work. These men still get recognition to this day because many that are trying to fill their shoes and write new pieces of work

Read More
1575 Words | 7 Pages

Unlike other cornet players, he played music by ear and was renowned for fusing the rhythmic, ragtime music, with the more liberated and

Read More
945 Words | 4 Pages

Born November 21, 1860, in Memphis, Missouri, Tom grew up in a house with his two parents, Thomas S. Horn and Mary A. Horn, and ten other siblings. Although, one might think this would appear as a big, loving home, that was far from the truth. In his autobiography he frequently

Read More
1230 Words | 5 Pages

In an interview for the Hollywood reporter, he stated, “I healed my back, and someone asked me to choreograph a show because I’d been an assistant choreographer on Broadway. That’s when I started choreographing, and what was interesting is I never went back to performing after that. I continued to choreograph because one job begets the next, you know? I got that job, then I got another job choreographing and then I started directing out of town in regional theaters and summer stock — I mean, really, that’s where I sort of learned the ropes about how to do it.

Read More
1669 Words | 7 Pages

Jerry adapted quickly to his new country, learning English and becoming a fan of baseball and Elvis Presley. He attended Forest Hills High School, where he excelled academically and socially. He was elected student council president and graduated as valedictorian

Read More
1380 Words | 6 Pages

Lin-Manuel Miranda and His Influence on Modern Musical Theatre Many people would consider Tony Award winning composer, lyricist, and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda a genius. With his musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, Miranda has been able to relate to modern audiences. His innovative uses of hip-hop, diverse casts, and commentary about race and immigration in his musicals allow his works to stand out amongst other modern Broadway shows.

Read More
1858 Words | 8 Pages

His writings eventually encouraged him to use them to write his first musical, I Know I’ve Been Changed, in 1992. With all of his life savings, he left for Atlanta in hopes of drawing in a sold out crowd. Perry came face to face with poverty when all of his money was gone and no one showed up to his play. However, he never let his faith falter and put all of his worries in God’s hands.

Read More
1086 Words | 5 Pages

The family in 1943 moved and went to Washington. He learned to play different instruments before learning how to play trumpet. He went to Europe with Hampton and meet a great group that raised Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, Gigi Gryce, and Alan Dawson. Then he left him and wrote arrangements for musicians, that include his colleagues and Ray Anthony, Count Basie, and Tommy Dorsey. Him and Michael me when he was 1 at a party

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

The fact that people could actually sing like that and all of the different special effects and scene changes were happening right in front of my eyes got me hooked. I am sure that is a similar story to many other peoples. Andrew Lloyd Webber changed the way the general public responded to live theatre. He had the world hooked on the beautiful melodies as well as the intriguing story lines. I think he is the reason many people began theatre in the first place.

Read More
975 Words | 4 Pages

The first bar he started playing at was The Eagle Saloon around 1908. When he first started playing here it was said his playing was loud and horrible, therefore the customers sent him home. This horrible reaction from his audience forced Oliver to return home and practice more in hopes of becoming much better. Between 1910 and 1917 he played in numerous clubs and built his reputation and image. During this time period he also brought together some of the most well-known players of the new jazz music.

Read More
1170 Words | 5 Pages

Some of his managers and the team at Warner were hesitant about his selection. There was a lot of risk to leading off with such an unconventional song. And there was a lot riding on its success. But the Kid was in his zone. His instincts were dead-on.

Read More
1707 Words | 7 Pages

Rent has received a plethora of prestigious awards, honors, and achievements. The production transferred to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway just four months after its Off-Broadway debut at the New York Theatre Workshop. Rent collected four Tony awards out of an impressive ten nominations. Rent received Tony’s for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, and Best Lighting Design. Beyond the Tony awards Rent was also awarded with six Drama Desk Awards, three Obie Awards, and The New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.

Read More

More about Thomas James Tune: Classical Dancer

Related Topics

Open Document