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BIO

Gillian Lynne was a leading soloist with Sadler’s Wells Ballet, the star dancer at the Palladium, played opposite Errol Flynn in the movies and danced with all the greats on TV. She became instrumental in the development of jazz dance in Britain and her distinctive style – a fusion of classical and jazz – led to her groundbreaking work on the world-famous Cats, which was recognised with a new category of Olivier Award, specially created for her to acknowledge Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical. Cats continues to be produced worldwide Gillian’s 50-plus Broadway and West End shows include: Tonight at 8.30, Love on the Dole, The Match Girls, TomFoolery, Jeeves Takes Charge, Cabaret, The Roar of the Greasepaint, Pickwick, The Card, Phil The Fluter, Hans Christian Andersen, My Fair Lady, Songbook, The Phantom of the Opera and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.



For the Royal Shakespeare Company: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Errors, The Way of the World, As You Like It, Once in a Lifetime and The Boy Friend. She has previously worked with Adrian Noble on the RSC production The Secret Garden.

Gillian’s opera productions include the direction of Bluebeard, The Trojans, The Midsummer Marriage, The Flying Dutchman and Parsifal. Among Gillian’s ballets are Breakaway, Lippizaner, The Brontes and Journey for the Bolshoi.

On television, Gillian has directed The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends, Easy Money, The Look of Love, The Morte d’Arthur, which won the Samuel G Engel Award in America, and A Simple Man, which won a 1987 BAFTA.

She staged many of The Muppet Shows for ATV and her 11 feature films include A Wonderful Life, Half a Sixpence, Man of La Mancha and Yentl. Gillian’s most recent productions include the staging of a special gala in New York to celebrate The Phantom of the Opera overtaking Cats as the longest-running show on Broadway and Phantom – the Las Vegas Spectacular.

She was awarded the Austrian Silver Order of Merit for her production of Cats in Vienna, a Moliere award for Cats in Paris, and in 2001 she was honoured by the Royal Academy of Dance with the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award. Gillian was awarded the CBE in 1997.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

New Cranks
[London Fringe]
Original London Production, 1960
Performer
Can-Can
[West End]
London Production, 1954
Claudine

Productions

The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera
 
[West End, 2021]
Choreographer
CatsCats
 
[Broadway, 2016]
Original Choreographer
CatsCats
 
[West End, 2014]
Associate Director and Choreographer
Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular
 
[Las Vegas, 2006]
Choreographer
The Likes of Us
 
[Regional (UK), 2005]
Choreographer
Chitty Chitty Bang BangChitty Chitty Bang Bang
 
[Broadway, 2005]
Choreographer
Choreographer
Choreographer
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
 
[West End, 2002]
Choreographer
Aspects of Love
 
[Broadway, 1990]
Choreographer
Aspects of Love
 
[West End, 1989]
Choreographer
The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the Opera
 
[Broadway, 1988]
Choreographer
Musical Staging
Cabaret
 
[West End, 1986]
Director/Choreographer
Cats
 
[Broadway, 1982]
Associate Director
Choreographer
Cats
 
[West End, 1981]
Choreographer
Hans Andersen
 
[West End, 1974]
Choreographer
Ambassador
 
[West End, 1971]
Choreographer
How Now, Dow Jones
 
[Broadway, 1967]
Choreographer
The Match Girls
 
[West End, 1966]
Director/Choreographer
Pickwick
 
[Broadway, 1965]
Choreographer

Awards and Nominations


winner
Olivier Awards - 2013 - Special Award

Gillian Lynne

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2005 - Outstanding Choreography

Gillian Lynne , Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Olivier Awards - 2000 - Outstanding Musical Production

Gillian LynneDick Whittington

Drama Desk Awards - 1988 - Outstanding Choreography

Gillian Lynne, Phantom of the Opera

Tony Awards - 1988 - Best Choreography

Gillian Lynne, The Phantom of the Opera

Tony Awards - 1983 - Best Choreography

Gillian Lynne, Cats


winner
Olivier Awards - 1981 - Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical

Gillian Lynne, Cats

Videos

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Gillian Lynne been in?

Gillian Lynne has not appeared on Broadway.

How many West End shows has Gillian Lynne been in?

Gillian Lynne has appeared on London's West End in 1 shows.

What was Gillian Lynne's first West End show?

Gillian Lynne's first West End show was Can-Can which opened in 1954

What awards has Gillian Lynne been nominated for?

Special Award (Olivier Awards) for , Outstanding Choreography (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , Outstanding Musical Production (Olivier Awards) for Dick Whittington, Outstanding Choreography (Drama Desk Awards) for Phantom of the Opera, Best Choreography (Tony Awards) for The Phantom of the Opera, Best Choreography (Tony Awards) for Cats and Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical (Olivier Awards) for Cats.

What awards has Gillian Lynne won?

Gillian Lynne has won the Special Award at the Olivier Awards and the Outstanding Achievement of the Year in a Musical at the Olivier Awards for her work on Cats.

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