Casey Nicholaw (born October 6, 1962) is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. He has been nominated for severalTony Awards for his work directing and choreographingThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006),The Book of Mormon (2011),Aladdin (2014),Something Rotten! (2015),Mean Girls (2018),The Prom (2019), andSome Like It Hot (2023) and for choreographingMonty Python's Spamalot (2005), winning for his co-direction ofThe Book of Mormon withTrey Parker and his choreography ofSome Like It Hot. He also was nominated for theDrama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction and Choreography forThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006) andSomething Rotten! (2015) and for Outstanding Choreography forSpamalot (2005).[1]
The son of Andy and Kay Nicholaw and the oldest of three children, Nicholaw grew up inSan Diego, California, and performed in community theatre there as a teenager.[2] He graduated fromClairemont High School in 1980 and attended theUniversity of California, Los Angeles. He is a nephew of the lateGeorge Nicholaw, who was the long time general manager of radio stationKNX (AM) inLos Angeles, California.
As a performer, Nicholaw played Junior and other roles inCrazy for You (1992–94); played Wall Street Wolf and other roles inThe Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public (1994); played Gregor, Juke, and other roles inVictor/Victoria (1995–97); played Corky, Luke, and other roles inSteel Pier (1997); understudied and performed as Neville inThe Scarlet Pimpernel (1999); played Frank Manero inSaturday Night Fever (1999–2000); understudied the role of Horton and other roles inSeussical (2000–01); and played Dexter, among other roles, inThoroughly Modern Millie (2002–04).[3] He can be heard on thecast album of most of these musicals.
His other performance credits includeBillion Dollar Baby (Off-Off-Broadway), for a Musicals in Mufti concert (1998) andBells Are Ringing at theGoodspeed Opera House (1990).[3]
In March 2023, he performed the role of Spats Colombo inSome Like It Hot for a weekend on Broadway.[4]
OnBroadway, Nicholaw has directed and choreographedThe Drowsy Chaperone (2006), choreographedSpamalot (2005) and directedTo Be or Not to Be, which opened October 2, 2008, for theManhattan Theatre Club.[5] He has been nominated for both Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards for his Broadway work.[6]
Nicholaw's other choreography credits includeFollies forNew York City Center's Encores! (Off-Broadway, 2007; he also directed this production);Spamalot'sWest End production and U.S. national tour (2006);The Drowsy Chaperone in Los Angeles (2005; as director and choreographer);South Pacific atCarnegie Hall (2005);Lucky Duck (Old Globe Theatre, 2004) andCan-Can for Encores! (Off-Broadway, 2004). He also choreographedBye Bye Birdie (2002) for Encores!;Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way atRadio City Music Hall; andCandide for theNew York Philharmonic's series of Broadway concerts.[7]
In January 2009, Nicholaw was both director and choreographer of the Los Angeles debut ofMinsky's, a musical based on the 1968 filmThe Night They Raided Minsky's, at theAhmanson Theatre.[8][9]
Nicholaw directed and choreographed a new musical,Robin and the 7 Hoods, based on the 1960sRat Pack film. The musical features songs bySammy Cahn andJimmy Van Heusen with a book byRupert Holmes (replacingPeter Ackerman). The show played at theOld Globe Theatre inSan Diego, California, from July 30, 2010, through August, with a cast that featuredWill Chase andAmy Spanger.[10][11]
He is the director and choreographer for the musicalElf: the Musical, which officially opened on Broadway at theAl Hirschfeld Theatre on November 10, 2010, and closed on January 2, 2011.[12][13] He directed and choreographed the stage musicalAladdin which premiered at the5th Avenue Theatre inSeattle, Washington, from July 7–31, 2011. The musical uses songs from the 1992 filmAladdin, with a new book byChad Beguelin and new lyrics by Beguelin andAlan Menken. The show premiered on Broadway at theNew Amsterdam Theatre on March 20, 2014.[14][15]
In 2012, it was announced Nicholaw would directAnimal House: The Musical, which was to have featured an original score by multi-platinum selling band Barenaked Ladies (“One Week,” “Pinch Me”); it was then announced the music would be composed byDavid Yazbek. Michael Mitnick was to write the libretto for the stage production.[16][17]
Nicholaw directed and choreographed the new musicalSomething Rotten!, which opened in previews on Broadway at theSt. James Theatre on March 23, 2015, with an official opening on April 22.[18]
He directed and choreographed theWest End production of the musicalDreamgirls, which opened officially on December 14, 2016, at theSavoy Theatre.[19][20]
Nicholaw directed and choreographedThe Prom on Broadway, which opened November 15, 2018, at theLongacre Theatre; the musical received a New York Times Critic's Pick.[21]
In 2021, it was announced that Nicolaw would make his film directing debut by helming the film adaptation ofSpamalot forParamount Pictures, withEric Idle penning the script andDan Jinks producing.[22] Two years later, Idle said that the film would not be happening.[23]
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