Patricia Birch
Patricia Ann Birch is an American dancer, choreographer, film director, and theatre director.
Early life
Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon, Goldilocks, and West Side Story. She has directed and choreographed music videos for Cyndi Lauper, The Rolling Stones, and Carly Simon.She earned Emmy Awards for her direction of the television specials Natalie Cole: Unforgettable and Celebrating Gershwin and, in collaboration with Michael Tilson Thomas, she staged the concert version of On the Town performed by both the London Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. She spent six years staging numbers for Saturday Night Live. In the 1960s, she taught dance at the Juilliard School's pre-college division in New York City. She performed as a soloist with Martha Graham and Agnes de Mille.
Work
Film
- The Electric Company
- Savages
- The Wild Party
- Roseland
- A Little Night Music
- Grease
- Grease 2 also director
- Christmas with Flicka
- Big
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
- The Orchestra
- Stella
- Billy Bathgate
- Sleeping with the Enemy
- This Is My Life
- Used People
- North
- The First Wives Club
- The Human Stain
- ''The Stepford Wives''
Stage productions (selected)
All credits as choreographer unless otherwise noted- West Side Story
- The Me Nobody Knows
- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
- Grease
- A Little Night Music
- Over Here!
- Pacific Overtures
- They're Playing Our Song
- Zoot Suit
- Raggedy Ann
- Anna Karenina
- Band In Berlin
- Candide
- Parade
- ''Lovemusik''
Awards and nominations
;Awards- 1972 Drama Desk Award – Grease
- 1974 Drama Desk Award – Candide
- 2009 Induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame
- 1972 Tony Award – Grease
- 1974 Tony Award – Over Here!
- 1976 Drama Desk Award – Pacific Overtures
- 1976 Tony Award – Pacific Overtures
- 1977 Drama Desk Award – Music Is
- 1977 Tony Award – Music Is
- 1999 Drama Desk Award – Parade
- 1999 Tony Award – Parade
- 2007 Drama Desk Award – ''LoveMusik''