Lawrence Leritz (born September 26, 1962) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dancer, singer, actor, producer, fitness expert and choreographer.
Born in
Alton, IllinoisAlton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 34,511 at the 2006 census.-History:...
, Leritz made his stage debut in the children's chorus of the world stage premiere of
Rodgers and HammersteinRichard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
's musical
State Fair at
The MunyThe Muny, short for The Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical amphitheatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. The theater seats 11,000 people with approximately 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first served basis. The...
, starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, directed by
James HammersteinJames Hammerstein was an American theatre director and producer. He was the son of Oscar Hammerstein II and his wife Dorothy ....
, supervised by
Richard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
and choreographed by
Tommy TuneThomas James "Tommy" Tune is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, -producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won nine Tony Awards and the National Medal of Arts.-Early years:...
.
Leritz moved to New York City on scholarships to the
Harkness BalletThe Harkness Ballet, , a major New York ballet company named after its founder Rebekah Harkness. Mrs. Harkness inherited her husband's fortune in Standard Oil holdings and was a dance lover...
,
Joffrey BalletThe Joffrey Ballet is a dance company founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. It is considered one of the foremost ballet companies in the world. The company regularly performs classical ballets such as Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while...
and
School of American BalletThe School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains pupils from the age...
, studying with
Alexandra DanilovaAleksandra Dionisyevna Danilova was a Russian-born prima ballerina who became an American citizen....
and
Stanley WilliamsStanley Williams was a dancer and, later, a renowned ballet instructor.- Early Days :Stanley Williams was born in England but grew up in Copenhagen, and Stanley was enrolled at the Royal Danish School of Ballet...
.
Lawrence Leritz (born September 26, 1962) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dancer, singer, actor, producer, fitness expert and choreographer.
Career
Born in
Alton, IllinoisAlton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 34,511 at the 2006 census.-History:...
, Leritz made his stage debut in the children's chorus of the world stage premiere of
Rodgers and HammersteinRichard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
's musical
State Fair at
The MunyThe Muny, short for The Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical amphitheatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. The theater seats 11,000 people with approximately 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first served basis. The...
, starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, directed by
James HammersteinJames Hammerstein was an American theatre director and producer. He was the son of Oscar Hammerstein II and his wife Dorothy ....
, supervised by
Richard RodgersRichard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
and choreographed by
Tommy TuneThomas James "Tommy" Tune is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, -producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won nine Tony Awards and the National Medal of Arts.-Early years:...
.
Leritz moved to New York City on scholarships to the
Harkness BalletThe Harkness Ballet, , a major New York ballet company named after its founder Rebekah Harkness. Mrs. Harkness inherited her husband's fortune in Standard Oil holdings and was a dance lover...
,
Joffrey BalletThe Joffrey Ballet is a dance company founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. It is considered one of the foremost ballet companies in the world. The company regularly performs classical ballets such as Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while...
and
School of American BalletThe School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains pupils from the age...
, studying with
Alexandra DanilovaAleksandra Dionisyevna Danilova was a Russian-born prima ballerina who became an American citizen....
and
Stanley WilliamsStanley Williams was a dancer and, later, a renowned ballet instructor.- Early Days :Stanley Williams was born in England but grew up in Copenhagen, and Stanley was enrolled at the Royal Danish School of Ballet...
. He was invited to work with the dance choreographers
George BalanchineGeorge Balanchine , born Giorgi Melitonis dze Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to Georgian parents, was one of the 20th century's foremost choreographers, a pioneer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet: his work created modern ballet, based...
,
Jerome RobbinsJerome Robbins was an American film director and choreographer whose work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater...
,
Alvin AileyAlvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
,
Robert JoffreyRobert Joffrey was an American dancer, teacher, producer and choreographer, known for his highly imaginative modern ballets...
,
Ruth PageRuth Page was an American ballerina and choreographer, considered a pioneer in creating works on American themes. To the classical ballet vocabulary she added movements from sports, popular dance and everyday gestures....
,
John NeumeierJohn Neumeier is a well-known American ballet dancer, choreographer, and director. He has been the director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973. 5 years later he founded the Hamburg Ballet School, which also includes a boarding school...
,
Lee TheodoreLee Theodore was a Broadway director/choreographer and performer. Lee appeared as Anybodys in the original production of "West Side Story" and in "Tenderloin" and "The King And I". As a choreographer, Theodore created dances for "Baker Street," "Darling Of The Day," "Flora, The Red Menance" and...
and
Sir Frederick AshtonSir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of the Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues...
. Major dance companies included The
New York City BalletNew York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein with musical director Leon Barzin and with founding choreographers Balanchine and Jerome Robbins...
,
Hamburg BalletHamburg Ballet, also known as the Hamburg State Opera Ballet, is an internationally acclaimed ballet company located in Hamburg, Germany. Since 1973 it is directed by the american dancer and choreografer John Neumeier....
,
Chicago BalletChicago Opera Ballet, established in 1910, which marks the beginnings of the first American ballet company. Chicago Grand Opera Company's first ballet master was Luigi Albertieri . The opera became a base from which successful Chicago resident dance companies emerged...
, Israel's
Bat-Dor Dance CompanyBat-Dor is an Israeli dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, co-founded by Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild with dancer Jeannette Ordman. Bat Dor made its debut in 1968 with Ordman as its leading dancer. The company has a large repertoire of modern works...
and with the Paris Opéra on its U.S. tour to the
Metropolitan OperaThe Metropolitan Opera Association of New York City, founded in April 1880, is a major presenter of all types of opera including Grand Opera. Peter Gelb is the company's general manager. The music director is James Levine....
and DC's Kennedy Center. Lawrence appeared guest artist and choreographer at
Plácido DomingoJosé Plácido Domingo Embil , better known as Plácido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor, known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range. In March 2008, he debuted in his 128th opera role, giving Domingo more roles than any other tenor...
's Los Angeles Music Center Opera and danced in the
Joffrey BalletThe Joffrey Ballet is a dance company founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. It is considered one of the foremost ballet companies in the world. The company regularly performs classical ballets such as Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while...
version of
Michel FokineMichel Fokine was a groundbreaking Russian choreographer and dancer....
's "Petrushka" with
Rudolf NureyevRudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Tatar dancer from the Soviet Union, primarily known for his work in ballet. He defected despite KGB efforts...
at the
New York City CenterNew York City Center, originally known as City Center of Music and Drama, and also known as New York City Center 55th Street Theater, is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival concert hall located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of...
. Leritz created his own company, Dance Celebration, which represented the United States at the International Choreographic Competitions in Paris, performing his signature ballet, "Worth A Song," receiving special congratulations from The
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
. Leritz appeared twice on the cover of Dance Pages Magazine.
Leritz also appeared on Broadway in Jerome Robbin's revival of
Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters and other tales by Sholem Aleichem...
,
Fonteyn & Nureyev on BroadwayFonteyn & Nureyev on Broadway was presented at the George Gershwin Theatre , . The show was a major Broadway and dance event; it was the farewell performance of the legendary balllet duo of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev...
and
American Dance MachineThe American Dance Machine was a theatrical dance company created by Lee Theodore, which played at the Century Theatre, opening Jun 14, 1978, running 199 performances. The show was a "Living Archive" of Broadway theatre dance; great theatre dances saved from oblivion. Choreographers included:...
. He has also performed in feature films including
Across the UniverseAcross the Universe is a American musical film directed by Julie Taymor, produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was released in the United States on October 12, 2007. The script is based on an original story credited to Taymor, Dick Clement, and Ian La Frenais...
,
Alvin Ailey Stories,
DummyDummy is a 2002 drama film/comedy film written and directed by Greg Pritikin. It starred Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana Douglas, Vera Farmiga and Jared Harris. The original music score is composed by Mike Ruekberg...
,
Easy Money and the HBO feature
StagStag is a 1997 film, directed by Gavin Wilding, made for HBO and later released theatrically after drawing large ratings. STAG features an ensemble cast including Ben Gazzara,Andrew McCarthy, Taylor Dayne, Mario Van Peebles, Lawrence Leritz, William McNamara, John Henson, Kevin Dillon, and Jerry...
. Leritz's television appearances include NBC's
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
, CBS's
CapitolCapitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C.....
, ABC's
All My ChildrenAll My Children is an American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970; repeat episodes air weeknights on SOAPnet. Created by Agnes Nixon, the show is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia...
; talk shows including
The Rosie O'Donnell ShowThe Rosie O'Donnell Show was an American daytime television talk show hosted and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It aired for six seasons from 1996 to 2002...
,
MauryMaury is a syndicated American television show hosted by Maury Povich. The show was created along the same lines as The Jerry Springer Show with the exception of the subject matter Maury discusses...
and CNN's
Showbiz TonightShowbiz Tonight is an American entertainment news program on HLN .Similar to syndicated entertainment programs, such as Extra and Entertainment Tonight, the program features a number of celebrity interviews, stories about new movies and shows, but also in-depth stories about problems with...
.
Leritz is also known in the fitness world as the choreographer to many bodybuilding stars, which included the NBC Sports television special "
Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian American bodybuilder, actor, businessman, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the state of California....
's Bodybuilding
Arnold ClassicThe Arnold Classic, renamed Arnold Fitness Weekend, is an annual bodybuilding competition, named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. It takes place in late February or early March in Columbus, Ohio, United States.-History:...
" in 1989. Lawrence hosted and created the DVD "Total Stretch!" and appears in numerous issues of
Joe WeiderJosef E. "Joe" Weider is the Canadian co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
's "
Muscle & FitnessMuscle & Fitness is an American bodybuilding magazine founded by Joe Weider, but now published by American Media, Inc.-History:Muscle & Fitness has a more mainstream focus than its companion publication, Flex...
" and "
Men's FitnessMen’s Fitness is a men’s magazine published by American Media, Inc. Founded in the United States in 1987, it was originally called Sports Fitness. The premier issue featured Michael Pare from the television show, The Greatest American Hero. The name of the magazine was changed to Men’s Fitness in...
magazines.
Leritz also produces for stage and television, including the annual television event "
Day of CompassionDay Of Compassion was an annual television special which honored those who have AIDS or who are HIV-positive. Neil Tadken, creator, was so moved by the HIV/AIDS-awareness storyline involving the character Billy Douglas on "One Life To Live", that Tadken contacted the producers of all ten daytime...
", for which
TimeTime is an American newsmagazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong. As of 2009, Time no longer publishes a Canadian advertiser edition...
magazine honored Leritz as their 1996 Local Hero. During the 2003-2004 season, Leritz was the producer and choreographer of the Off-Broadway revue,
Boobs! The MusicalBoobs! The Musical: The World According to Ruth Wallis is a musical revue with lyrics and music by 1950s and 1960s star Ruth Wallis. Using 23 of Wallis' songs combined with comedy skits, Boobs! also told the story of Ruth Wallis' international career and struggles in performing her naughty songs...
. "Boobs! The Musical" won New Orleans' 2005 Big Easy and Ambie Awards, Wichita's 2006 Teall Award and was nominated for the 2004
Mac AwardsThe MAC Awards, begun in 1986, are presented annually to honor achievements in cabaret, comedy, and jazz. The award is organized by the non-profit organization Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets , founded in 1983....
for Best Musical Revue.
Leritz also produced The 50th Anniversary Gala of The
American Guild of Musical ArtistsThe American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO is the American labor union that represents 8,000 current and retired opera singers, ballet and other dancers, opera Directors, backstage production personnel at opera and dance companies, and figure skaters.-Jurisdiction:According to its website it...
, starring
Beverly SillsBeverly Sills was a Jewish American operatic soprano who enjoyed a successful career during the 1950s through the 1970s....
and
Peter MartinsPeter Martins is a Danish ballet dancer and choreographer. He was a principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and with New York City Ballet, where he joined George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and John Taras as balletmaster in 1981, retired from dancing in 1983 at which time he became...
at The New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center in 1986. Lawrence also choreographed the feature film, "
The Last DragonBerry Gordy's The Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts film, produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. A critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher Murney,...
", the mime duo Shields & Yarnell, and for
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
.
Leritz is the Spectrum Records recording artist of the dance hit single "Crank It Up" produced by
Cory WadeCory Wade was a music producer for some of disco biggest hits. Producing for T.K. Records, Cory's single of Peter Brown's "Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me", which became the first 12" single to sell a million copies...
, performing live during the final month of the Las Vegas Stardust Hotel. In 2006, Leritz was included in
Harvard UniversityHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
's George Balanchine Collection of The New York City Ballet at The Harvard Theatre Collection and The Harvard College Library.
Awards, nominations and citations
- 2004 Mac Awards
The MAC Awards, begun in 1986, are presented annually to honor achievements in cabaret, comedy, and jazz. The award is organized by the non-profit organization Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets , founded in 1983....
Best Musical Revue (Producer nominee)
- 2005 Big Easy Awards Best Musical (Producer nominee)
- 2006 Teall Awards Best Musical (Producer nominee)
- 1996 Time Magazine's Local Hero
- 1987 Lawrence Leritz Day Proclamation, Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 34,511 at the 2006 census.-History:...
- 1983 Lawrence Leritz Day Proclamation, Wood River, Illinois
Wood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
External links