Broadway Director and Choreographer Jeff Calhoun Returns to Roots

It’s a homecoming of sorts when Broadway director and choreographer Jeff Calhoun returns to Pine-Richland High School this week.

Calhoun, a 1978 graduate of Richland High School, will be meeting Thursday with students, presenting senior honors awards and taking in the high school’s musical,

It is a visit that has become annual for Calhoun since he returned for the 50th anniversary of the district in 2008. To his surprise, the school district honored him by inducting him into its Alumni Hall of Fame at the anniversary celebration. Calhoun was planning simply to announce creation of a $5,000 scholarship at the festivities. 

“Originally, it was to go to a student who would be pursing a career in the theater arts, but that proved too limiting,” he said, “So I expanded it to someone in the arts.”

Including the scholarship to be awarded this year, Calhoun will have awarded $20,000 to Pine-Richland students since 2008.

“As corny as it sounds, I want to give back,” Calhoun said during a phone interview from New York.

Winners of the Jeff Calhoun scholarship for 2008 were Jenna Panza (Slippery Rock University) and Jesse Soraacco (Carnegie Mellon University), who each received $2,500. Adrian Baidoo (University of Michigan) won the scholarship in 2009, and Adam Janssen (Carnegie Mellon University) was the 2010 winner.

Although no one in the Calhoun family still resides in the area, his former home is an important place to Calhoun, a place that holds a lot of wonderful memories and that he wants to help nurture.

“I have some really great memories, and I really give credit to some of my teachers for helping me succeed,” he said. 

Calhoun listed former teachers and mentors including the late John Seftas, English and speech teacher and thespian coach, and his band teacher,  Bob Marshall. 

After he graduated from Richland, Calhoun attended Northwestern University for a year before Broadway came knocking.

“[Director and choreographer] Tommy Tune asked me to be in the 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' and I remember having these conversations with my parents,” he said, “They finally agreed to let me take a leave of absence and the deal was I would go back to school after I was done on Broadway.”

As it turned out, he was never “done.” Although he never quite made it back to Northwestern, Calhoun has had an impressive list of credits after his name, including acting, directing and choreographing awards.

According to his biography, Calhoun’s collaboration with Tommy Tune resulted in the 1991 Tony Award for Best Choreography for "The Will Rogers Follies." He made his Broadway directing debut with "Tommy Tune Tonight!" in 1992.

Calhoun also directed and choreographed the Deaf West Theatre production of "Big River," which won the 2004 Tony Awards' Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre. He also has numerous other awards and honors.

Most recently, Calhoun directed "Bonnie & Clyde," which is coming to Broadway this fall, at the Asolo Repertory Theater in Sarasota, FL. He will direct the 2011 world premiere of the stage adaptation of Disney’s "Newsies."

“I am incredibly blessed to have had the success that I have had,” he said, “If I can give some confidence to one of these young people or open a few doors, I want to do that.”

Rachel Hathhorn, school district spokeswoman and a volunteer co-executive director of the Pine-Richland Opportunities Fund, said “We are so very fortunate to have a successful graduate who comes back and donates his time and money to our students.”

“It isn’t just the scholarship, which is wonderful, but the fact that he takes time from his incredibly busy schedule to talk to our students is amazing,” she continued.

Stacy Burris, president of the Thespian Society Booster Club, organized Calhoun’s upcoming schedule with the students and plans to keep him busy.

“He will start with a welcoming breakfast, where he will also present senior honors awards, then he will meet with band and theater classes, hear the chamber singers and attend dress rehearsal for the musical,” she said. “We have to take advantage of this amazing opportunity; he doesn’t have much free time.” 

Calhoun will also have the opportunity to spend time with the students who will be performing in the musical and attend the opening night performance of "Les Miserables" Friday night.

Burris is quick to point out that Calhoun’s visit is at his expense.

“He is so giving of his time and his money. I can’t tell you how fortunate we feel,” she said.

Calhoun downplays his visit.

“Again, I don’t want to sound corny, but this was a great place for me. First and foremost, maybe I can give some confidence to someone interested in the arts.  They can see living proof that someone was successful.”

He also hopes to serve as a resource to the students at Pine-Richland.

“I give them my e-mail and phone number," he said. "I tell them when you come to the big, scary city of New York, you have a friendly face waiting there.”