Anthony Van Laast
Encyclopedia
Anthony Van Laast is a choreographer, mainly for the stage, concerts, television and film. His works have appeared in the West End
and on Broadway
.
, UK. He received dance training at the London School of Contemporary Dance
, and both performed and choreograhed with the Company.
Among his prominent stage works as a choreographer are the musicals Sister Act (2011 on Broadway, also 2009 West End),Bombay Dreams
(2004),Mamma Mia!
(2001),Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
(1993), Song & Dance (1982, West End). He received a nomination for the Tony Award
, Best Choreography, jointly with Farah Khan for Bombay Dreams. For his work on the musical Hair
(Old Vic
) and for The Beggar's Opera (the Royal Shakespeare Company
at the Barbican), he was nominated for the Olivier Award, Best Theatre Choreographer in 1994.
His television and film work includes the concert Sarah Brightman: Symphony in Vienna (2008) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
.
He co-directed and choreographed EFX
, the Las Vegas
stage show at the MGM Grand
starring Michael Crawford
in 1995. He has choreographed for Holiday on Ice
, including "Extravaganza" in 1997, "Hollywood" (2002), and he is the artistic director for "Mystery" (2009).
Van Laast was awarded the MBE
for Services to Dance and Choreography in 1999.
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
.
Career
Van Laast was born in SussexSussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, UK. He received dance training at the London School of Contemporary Dance
London School of Contemporary Dance
London Contemporary Dance School is a contemporary dance school located in London, United Kingdom. LCDS was founded by Robin Howard in 1966 in order to train new dancers for his company, London Contemporary Dance Theatre....
, and both performed and choreograhed with the Company.
Among his prominent stage works as a choreographer are the musicals Sister Act (2011 on Broadway, also 2009 West End),Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams
Bombay Dreams is a Bollywood-themed musical, with music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and the book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan,and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production opened in 2002 and ran for two years...
(2004),Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
(2001),Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
(1993), Song & Dance (1982, West End). He received a nomination for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
, Best Choreography, jointly with Farah Khan for Bombay Dreams. For his work on the musical Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
(Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
) and for The Beggar's Opera (the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
at the Barbican), he was nominated for the Olivier Award, Best Theatre Choreographer in 1994.
His television and film work includes the concert Sarah Brightman: Symphony in Vienna (2008) and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
.
He co-directed and choreographed EFX
EFX (show)
EFX was a Las Vegas production show residing at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino which opened on March 23, 1995 and closed January 1, 2003. When it premiered, it was the most expensive and largest scaled theatre installation in the world. A significant entertainment landmark of the strip for nearly 8...
, the Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
stage show at the MGM Grand
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
starring Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
in 1995. He has choreographed for Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice is an ice show currently produced by Joop van den Ende's Stage Entertainment Group with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
, including "Extravaganza" in 1997, "Hollywood" (2002), and he is the artistic director for "Mystery" (2009).
Van Laast was awarded the MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for Services to Dance and Choreography in 1999.