Talking with Jerry Mitchell

Director and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell, September, 2014. Photo by Christopher DeVargas

Joyful. Exuberant. Vibrant. If you’ve seen Hairspray, Kinky Boots, The Full Monty or Legally Blonde, you know these musicals are absolutely brimming with life. A huge part of what gives these shows their unmistakable vitality is the choreography of two-time Tony award winner Jerry Mitchell. When characters like Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray or Lola in Kinky Boots are bursting with joy, Jerry’s choreography is there to take over where lyrics leave off and amp up the feels. Like audiences everywhere, I know that I practically dance in the aisles when I see one of Jerry’s shows (and I’ve got two left feet!).

Jerry began his career as a dancer under the wings of some choreography legends. His early Broadway credits include the 1980 revival of Brigadoon choreographed by Agnes De Mille, 1983’s On Your Toes choreographed by Donald Saddler and the 1991 Tony winning hit The Will Rogers Follies, directed and choreographed by Tommy Tune.

Jerry’s first solo credit for choreography on Broadway was for the 1999 revival of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. In all, Jerry has been involved with over 50 Broadway, West End and touring productions, including The Full Monty (Tony nomination); The Rocky Horror Show; Hairspray (Tony nomination); Gypsy; Never Gonna Dance (Tony nomination); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony nomination); La Cage Aux Folles (Tony Award); Imaginary Friends; Legally Blonde (Tony nomination), which he also directed; Catch Me If You Can; and Kinky Boots (also running in London, Toronto, Korea and on national tour, with Australia and Japan up next.)

Perhaps no less important are Jerry’s credits off stage as an organizer and advocate. In 1992, sensing a void in the funding of HIV/AIDS services for his fellow dancers and actors, Jerry hopped on a bar with seven other dancers, performed a striptease and raised $8000. Thus was born Broadway Bares, an annual burlesque fundraiser that to date has raised over $14.3 million for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Now in its 26th(!!) year, Broadway Bares is raucous, risque and revelrous. It also epitomizes Jerry’s spirited imagination and his passion to give back to his community #FullOut.