Christopher Gattelli
Christopher Gattelli is an American choreographer, performer and theatre director.
Early life and career
Gattelli grew up in Bristol, Pennsylvania. He started dancing at the age of 8 and is a "Star Search" grand champion.[1] As a performer, he appeared in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (revival), Fosse, and Pouncival in Cats.
Choreographer/Director
| Year | Title | Director | Choreographer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Chess (Benefit Concert) | No | Yes |
| 2004 | Hair (Benefit Concert) | Yes | Yes |
| 2006 | Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me | No | Yes |
| High Fidelity | No | Yes | |
| 2007 | The Ritz | No | Yes |
| 2008 | Sunday in the Park With George | No | Musical Staging |
| South Pacific | No | Musical Staging | |
| 13 | No | Yes | |
| 2009 | Chance & Chemistry (Benefit) | Yes | Yes |
| 2010 | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | No | Yes |
| 2011 | Godspell | No | Yes |
| 2012 | Newsies | No | Yes |
| 2014 | Casa Valentina | No | Dance Consultant |
| 2015 | The King and I | No | Yes |
| Amazing Grace | No | Yes | |
| 2017 | War Paint | No | Yes |
| 2017 | SpongeBob Squarepants | No | Yes |
| 2018 | My Fair Lady | No | Yes |
| The Cher Show | No | Yes | |
| 2024 | Mother Play | No | Yes |
| Death Becomes Her | Yes | Yes | |
| 2026 | Schmigadoon! | Yes | Yes |
Christopher Gattelli is best known for his work on the 2012 Broadway musical Newsies.
Gattelli has choreographed several special benefit concerts, including Chess (2003), Hair (also co-director, Actor's Fund, 2004),[3] and Chance and Chemistry: A Centennial Celebration of Frank Loesser (also directed, Actors Fund, October 2009).[4]
His Off-Broadway choreographic work includes Adrift in Macao (2007, also Philadelphia, PA 2005), How to Save the World and Find True Love in 90 Minutes (also director, 2006), I Love You Because (2006), Altar Boyz (2005), tick, tick...BOOM!, Dogfight, and Bat Boy: The Musical (2001).[5] In regional theatre he is the choreographer for The Baker's Wife (Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, 2005), Tom Jones (2004), tick, tick...BOOM! (2004, also London Fringe, 2005), Me and My Girl, and O. Henry's Lovers (Goodspeed Opera House, 2003). He directed Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas at The Goodspeed Opera House, Connecticut in 2008, and choreographed Julie Andrews' The Great American Mousical there in 2012.[6][7] His production of The Jungle Book played the Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company in 2013. He was the director of the musical spoof SILENCE! The Musical, which ran in 2005 at NYCFringe.[8] Other West End and London credits include South Pacific and Sunday in the Park with George.[9] He is in charge of musical staging for Little Miss Sunshine.[10]
He collaborated with Stephen Flaherty on the world premiere of In Your Arms, which he directed and choreographed for the New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater at Vassar in 2014. He directed and choreographed In Your Arms for a production at the Old Globe Theatre in September 2015.[9]
Gattelli directed and choreographed the Spring 2014 lab of RKO's Top Hat in New York.[11] This was a new version of the 2011 stage version that ran in London and the UK, and was being worked on by Gatelli and Chad Beguelin. The production "is still several seasons off", according to Gatelli in January 2017.[12]
His choreography can also be seen in the Coen brothers feature Hail, Caesar![9]
He was the resident choreographer for The Rosie O'Donnell Show.[13]
Gattelli choreographed the American musical comedy television series Schmigadoon! for Apple TV+ in 2020 and 2023.[14]
Personal life
He is openly gay.[15]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Lucille Lortel Award | Best Choreography | Bat Boy: The Musical | Won |
| 2005 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Choreography | Altar Boyz | Won |
| Lucille Lortel Award | Best Choreography | Won | ||
| 2008 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | South Pacific | Nominated |
| 2012 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Best Choreography | Newsies | Won |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Choreography | Won | ||
| Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Won | ||
| 2015 | The King and I | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | My Fair Lady | Nominated | ||
| SpongeBob SquarePants | Nominated | |||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Choreography | Nominated | ||
| 2025 | Drama League Awards[16] | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Death Becomes Her | Nominated |
| Outer Critics Circle Awards[17] | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Choreography | Nominated | |||
| Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Nominated |
References
- ^ Gattelli biography feldentertainment.com, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ "Christopher Gattelli – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2026-02-28.
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Hair Concert Stars to Make "Splash"y Appearance; Cast Continues to Grow" playbill.com, September 10, 2004
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Larsen, Bolton, Kuhn to Join Actors Fund Concert of Loesser Music at Minskoff" Archived 2009-10-21 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, October 19, 2009
- ^ "Gattelli listing at Internet Off-Broadway Database" Archived 2012-10-07 at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ "Gatelli credits" broadwayworld.com, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ "Biography" Archived 2009-05-16 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ "Listing" offwestend.com, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ a b c "'In Your Arms'" broadwayworld.com, 2015
- ^ "'Little Miss Sunshine'" sandiego.com
- ^ Top Hat Playbill
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Broadway-Aimed Irving Berlin Musical 'Top Hat' Moving Forward" Playbill, January 18, 2017
- ^ Profile spfnyc.com, retrieved December 29, 2009
- ^ "'Schmigadoon!' Choreographer Christopher Gattelli On Keeping True To The Golden Age & How Less Edits "Really Honors The Form" – Production Value". Deadline Hollywood. 2022-08-15. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24.
- ^ Bienskie, Stephen (July 21, 2011). "Follow Spot: Buffalo Bill, Won't You Come Out Tonight?". Broadway Stars (Interview). Interviewed by Michael Portantiere. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 22, 2025). "2025 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 25, 2025). "Death Becomes Her Leads 2025 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2025.