- Creative
The Broadway Career of Camille A. Brown
June 4, 2024
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On June 16, 2024, the 77th Annual Tony Awards will be held at the David H. Koch Theater, celebrating the best and brightest of this year’s Broadway season! The nominees include those onstage and off, mainstays and newcomers alike. In celebration, Broadway’s Best Shows is highlighting some of the Broadway perennials recognized with Tony nods in this incredibly fruitful year.
This season, Camille A. Brown is nominated for Best Choreography for her work on “Hell’s Kitchen.” Here’s a breakdown of the Broadway productions that got her here!
A Streetcar Named Desire (2012)
Brown made her Broadway debut as the choreographer for the 2012 revival of Tennessee Williams’ classic, directed by Emily Mann. Her choreography was set against the original score by 5-time Grammy Award winner Terence Blanchard.
Once on This Island (2017)
Brown returned to Broadway to choreograph the Tony Award-winning revival of Once on This Island, which played in the round at Circle In The Square Theatre. Set in the French Antilles, it follows a young peasant girl named Ti Moune who falls in love with a wealthy boy from the other side of the island and faces the gods who rule their world. The immersive revival, directed by Michael Arden, received critical acclaim for its creative use of design and storytelling, and Brown was commended for her choreography which blended traditional and contemporary styles of dance.
Choir Boy (2019)
Mendez was part of the cast in the 2011 revival of Godspell, where she brought the house down with “Bless the Lord.” This production allowed her to further exhibit her dynamic range as a performer in a show known for its eclectic musical style.
For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (2022)
In the 2022 revival of Ntozake Shange’s groundbreaking work, Brown made history as both the director and choreographer. The play, which is a series of poetic monologues accompanied by dance and music, describing the experiences of African American women. Exploring themes of love, empowerment, struggle, and loss, Brown’s choreography seamlessly blended with Shange’s powerful text, using movement to express the emotional depth and cultural resonance of the poems. Brown received two Tony Award nominations for her work; Best Direction of a Play and Best Choreography.
Hell’s Kitchen (2024)
Alongside Dogfight co-star Derek Klena, Mendez took to oz as the infamous green witch in Wicked. Mendez is remembered for her notable blog series “Fly Girl” which took audiences backstage at the Gershwin Theater, giving exclusive behind the scenes insight of the smash musical.
Gypsy (Upcoming)
Brown is set to choreograph the highly anticipated revival of Gypsy, starring Audra McDonald. The revival, directed by George C. Wolfe, is set to begin performances this fall at the newly renovated Majestic Theatre.