Jeff Whiting
Jeff Whiting is an American theater director, choreographer, performer and entrepreneur. He has been involved in theatrical productions, concerts, operas and special events around the world. Whiting is also known for developing multiple businesses that support theater makers: "Stage Write," a digital app that simplifies the documentation of staging and choreography, "Open Jar Studios," a 50,000/sf rehearsal facility which features the largest column-free studios in New York City, "Stage Door Network," "Stage Door Pass," and not-for-profit "Stage Door Foundation."
Biography
Whiting was born in Denver, Colorado, the son of David L. Whiting and Bette Whiting. He was the third of five siblings. He grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the age of 10, he was introduced to theater, dance, acting and singing, under Xan S. Johnson's tutoring at the University of Utah's Children's Theater program. In 1996, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Dance Theater from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.Whiting began his professional performing career in 1996 as the original Quasimodo in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. He also originated additional Disney roles in the original "Disney Cruise Line" productions of "Disney Dreams," "Hercules," and "The Voyage of the Ghost Ship." In 1997, Whiting moved to New York City and performed in numerous regional theatrical productions.
Whiting began working as a director and choreographer. He was hired as the Assistant Director for the national tours of Hairspray and The Producers, which is how he was introduced to Susan Stroman. In 2007, Stroman invited him to be Assistant Choreographer on the Broadway production of Young Frankenstein, marking Whiting's first Broadway credit. He went on to collaborate with Stroman on several other projects. He was Assistant Director/Choreographer on Happiness at Lincoln Center and was Associate Director/Choreographer on The Scottsboro Boys, which received 12 Tony nominations. He was also Diane Paulus' Associate Director on the Broadway revival of Hair, which won the Tony Award for best musical revival. In 2013, Jeff was the Associate Director for Big Fish. In 2014, Jeff was the Associate Director for Bullets Over Broadway.
In addition to his work on Broadway, Whiting has directed numerous concerts and events. His work includes a series of concerts at Carnegie Hall with James Taylor and "A Tribute to Susan Stroman". Opera credits include We Open In Paris at Glimmerglass Opera.
In 2021, Whiting was invited to re-imagine America's longest-running outdoor symphonic drama, "The Lost Colony" production in North Carolina, notably making updates to ensure accurate and respectful depiction of the Indigenous characters in the play, originally penned by Paul Green. He has also directed and choreographed numerous events and shows for The Walt Disney Company in the USA, Brazil, Mexico and India, including the world's largest ever to pass Cobacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Whiting delivered a TEDTalk on February 7, 2016, titled "" at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario sharing his philosophy of "Open Jar Thinking."