Choreographer
Christopher Gattelli knew from a very early age that performing was his destined career. Growing up in Bristol, PA, he first started dancing at the age of 11 and that year was cast in the national tour of Evita. Gattelli landed his first professional job in New York while finishing his senior year of high school in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. A “Star Search” Grand Champion, he has since amassed an impressive array of acting, dancing and choreography credits to his name, and has been fine-tuning his craft for the last 15 years.
Gattelli’s most recent choreography work can be seen in the Off-Broadway production of Altar Boyz, for which he won the 2005 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreograper. Gattelli previously earned a 2001 Lucille Lortel Award for his direction in Bat Boy: The Musical. Additional stage credits include the Off-Broadway production of tick, tick...BOOM!; Broadway Concert Chess with Josh Groban and Adam Pascal; the 30th anniversary national tour of Godspell; and the national tour of Grease; Me and My Girl and others. Gattelli’s television projects have included being resident choreographer on “The Rosie O’ Donnell Show,” The 2000 Tony Awards® show, “David Letterman” and The Disney Channel’s “Out of the Box.” A long-time fan of Disney, he also served as the assistant choreographer for Disney’s 101 Dalmatians float in the 1998 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Joining Disney Live! Winnie the Pooh as the choreographer, Gattelli is responsible for the musical staging, but says he’s also had a hand in other elements of the production. “Our whole creative team was so involved with each other throughout the production process,” he says. “It’s been truly wonderful to collaborate on different design, set, costume and even music and story ideas as they relate to the production numbers, which isn’t typically something I’ve had the opportunity to do at the outset of a production.”
Gattelli says that he employs comedy and fun when sequencing the dance numbers in the show so they appeal to both children and adults. “Seeing ideas come to fruition on stage and knowing that kids are going to love the show is very rewarding,” he says.
Although Gattelli admits to hanging a Tigger Christmas stocking on his mantle
each year, he says he most closely relates to the perfectionist nature of Rabbit.
“I still love Tigger’s energy,” he says. “But, I also
want to make sure everything is just right.”
The Tony Awards® are presented by Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the League of American Theatres and Producers and the American Theatre Wing.