TOMMY TUNE'S BIOGRAPHY

Everything about Tommy Tune is larger than life. The six foot six Texan has won an unprecedented nine Tony Awards in four different categories. Among other accolades, he has won eight Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards, two Astaire Awards, an American Dance Award, Drama League Awards, and a George Abbot Award for Lifetime Achievement!

It was back in 1965 when Tommy Tune first danced onto the Great White Way and into the chorus of “Baker Street“. Next up was “A Joyful Noise” in 1967, and “How Now Dow Jones“ in 1968. Five years and countless raves later Tommy garnered his first Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in Michael Bennett’s “Seesaw“.

Tune’s first foray into directing was the groundbreaking Off-Broadway hit “The Club“ in 1976. Back on Broadway, but this time as choreographer and co-director, Tune gave us “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas“ followed by “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine“, for which he won his second Tony Award, this time for Best Choreography.

Tommy returned to Off-Broadway in 1981 to direct the highly controversial production of Carol Churchill’s “Cloud 9“. The next year Tommy brought us “Nine“ for which he won his third Tony, his first for Directing a Broadway Musical.

A double Tony Award win followed for Mr. Tune as Best Actor in a Musical and Best Choreography for the Broadway hit “My One and Only“ co-starring Twiggy. “Grand Hotel, The Musical“ followed with Tony wins for Best Choreography and Best Direction. The following year Mr. Tune did what no artist had done before when he won the same two prestigious honors, this time for “The Will Rogers Follies“.

Tommy once again returned to the other side of the Broadway footlights in his one-man song and dance show, “Tommy Tune Tonight!“, later touring with it throughout the country and around the world.

Of his unique talents as a director, choreographer, singer, dancer and actor, the New York Times proclaimed, “Mr. Tune has reshuffled the elements of the old-style musical into state of the art.” Andy Warhol once said that Tommy Tune “exudes a cultivated serenity and a genuine love of life.”

Tommy has shied away from Hollywood moviemaking, appearing in only two films early in his illustrious career. He was featured in “Hello, Dolly! “ starring Barbra Streisand and directed by Gene Kelly, and in Ken Russell’s “The Boy Friend“, where he first met Twiggy.

Tune has sung and danced for three U.S. Presidents, the Queen of England, and the Royal Family of Monaco. In 1991, Gwen Verdon inducted him into Broadway’s Theatre Hall of Fame. Hollywood followed suit when, three years later, he was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, appropriately placed directly in front of the Capezio Dancewear shop.

In 1997 Tommy gave us “Footnotes“, his memoir about his extraordinary life in the theatre, and “Slow Dancin’“, a CD compilation of his favorite romantic ballads. The end of the millennium was the beginning of a dream come true for Tommy Tune when he made his Las Vegas debut as the star of “EFX“, the ninety million dollar spectacular at the MGM Grand Hotel.

When he’s not drawing crowds, Mr. Tune is painting canvases in his Tribeca art studio. And, not content to entertain audiences on land alone, Tommy has recently created an elaborate musical entitled “Paparazzi“ for the Holland America Line’s newest ship, the Oosterdam.

Currently, in addition to preparing future productions, Tommy Tune is performing around the world with the multi-talented Manhattan Rhythm Kings. This Big Band Review is entitled “Song and Dance Man“.
For booking information contact Steve Levine at ICM.