Birch, Patricia 1934(?)- (Pat Birch)

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Birch, Patricia 1934(?)- (Pat Birch)

PERSONAL

Full name, Patricia Ann Birch; born c. 1934, in Scarsdale, NY; daughter of Abraham S. and Mary (maiden name, Levinsohn) Birch; married William J. "Bill" Becker III (a film executive); children: Jonathan Heath, Peter Heath, Alison Becker Hurt. Education: Bennington College, B.A.; attended the School of American Ballet; studied professional dance with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham.

Addresses:

Agent—William Morris Agency, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.

Career:

Choreographer, stager, director, dancer, and actress. Worked as a dancer, rehearsal director, and instructor in the Martha Graham Dance Company. National Music Theatre Network, guest artistic director, 1999, guest artistic director (with Kathleen Marshall), 2005. Choreographer of special events, including special material for the Astaire awards given by the Theatre Development Fund, Hudson Theatre, New York City, 2000.

Member:

Directors Guild of America.

Awards, Honors:

Drama Desk Award, outstanding choreography, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best choreography, both 1972, for Grease; Drama Desk Award, outstanding choreography, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best choreography, both 1974, for Over Here!; Drama Desk Award, outstanding choreography, 1974, for Candide; Outer Critics Circle Award, choreography, 1975; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best choreography, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding choreography, both 1976, for Pacific Overtures; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best choreography, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding choreography, both 1977, for Music Is; Emmy Award (with Humphrey Burton), outstanding directing in a variety or music program, and Emmy Award nomination, outstanding achievement in choreography, both 1988, for "Celebrating Gershwin," Great Performances; Emmy Award, outstanding individual achievement in directing in a variety or music program, 1992, for "Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole," Great Performances; Directors Guild of America Award nomination, musical variety category, 1994, for "Natalie Cole's Untraditional Christmas," Great Performances; Astaire Award, best choreographer, Theatre Development Fund, 1999; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best choreography, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding choreography, both 1999, for Parade; the National Music Theatre Network designated 1999 as the Patricia Birch Season and 2005 as the Kathleen Marshall Patricia Birch Season; Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding choreography, 2007, for Lovemusik.

CREDITS

Stage Choreographer:

Up Eden (musical), Jan Hus Playhouse, New York City, 1968.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (musical), Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami, FL, 1968, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1971.

Fireworks, Village South Theatre, New York City, 1969.

The Real Inspector Hound [and] After Magritte (double-bill), Theatre Four, New York City, 1972-73.

Grease (musical), Eden Theatre and Broadhurst Theatre, both New York City, 1972, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1972-80, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1980.

Grease (musical), New London Theatre, London, beginning 1973.

A Little Night Music (musical), Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1973, Majestic Theatre, 1973-74.

Diamond Studs (musical; also known as Diamond Studs: The Life of Jesse James and The Life of Jesse James), Ranch House, Chapel Hill, NC, 1974, Westside Theatre, New York City, 1975, and Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC, 1975.

Over Here! (musical), Shubert Theatre, 1974-75.

Candide (musical), Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1974-76.

Truckload (musical), Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1975.

Music Is (musical), St. James Theatre, New York City, 1976.

Pacific Overtures (musical), Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1976.

Gilda Radner—Live from New York, Winter Garden Theatre, 1979.

Street Scene (musical), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, New York State Theater, New York City, 1979.

They're Playing Our Song (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Choreographer of sequences, Zoot Suit, Winter Garden Theatre, 1979.

Really Rosie (musical), Chelsea Theatre Center, Westside Theatre (Upstairs), New York City, 1979-80, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1980-81.

El Bravo! (musical), Entermedia Theatre, New York City, 1981.

American Passion (musical), Joyce Theater, New York City, 1983.

Pacific Overtures (musical), Promenade Theatre, New York City, beginning 1984.

Raggedy Ann (musical; also known as Rag Dolly), Nederlander Theatre, New York City, 1986, also produced in Moscow, the Soviet Union (now Russia), 1986.

A Walk on the Wild Side (musical), Musical Theatre Works, City Stage Company Theatre, New York City, 1988.

Elvis: A Rockin' Remembrance (musical), Beacon Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Love's Labour's Lost, The Acting Company, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Smiling Through (musical), Theatre Four, 1994.

Candide (musical), Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1997.

Parade (musical), Lincoln Center, Vivian Beaumont Theater, New York City, 1998-99.

Exactly Like You (musical), York Theatre Company, York Theatre at St. Peter's, New York City, beginning 1999.

Fiorello! (musical), New York State Theatre Institute, Troy, NY, 2004.

Stage Work; Musical Stager:

Tango sequence stager, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1968.

The Me Nobody Knows (musical), Helen Hayes Theatre, 1970-71, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1971.

F. Jasmine Adams (musical), Circle in the Square, New York City, 1971.

Diamond Studs (musical; also known as Diamond Studs: The Life of Jesse James and The Life of Jesse James), Ranch House, Chapel Hill, NC, 1974, Westside Theatre, New York City, 1975, and Ford's Theatre Society, Washington, DC, 1975.

(With Robert Kalfin) Happy End (musical), Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, and Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York City, both 1977.

Hot Grog (musical), The Phoenix Theatre, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1977.

Roza (musical), Royale Theatre, New York City, 1987.

Stager of musical numbers, Welcome to the Club (musical), Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Anna Karenina (musical), Circle in the Square, New York City, 1992.

Lovemusik (musical), Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 2007.

Stage Director:

Assistant director, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (musical), Little Fox Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 1968.

Director of special sequences, Fireworks, Village South Theatre, New York City, 1969.

Truckload (musical), Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1975.

(With Robert Kalfin) Happy End (musical), Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, and Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York City, both 1977.

(As Pat Birch) V.I.P. Night on Broadway (benefit production), Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Really Rosie (musical), Chelsea Theatre Center, Westside Theatre (Upstairs), New York City, 1979-80, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1980-81.

El Bravo! (musical), Entermedia Theatre, New York City, 1981.

American Passion (musical), Joyce Theater, New York City, 1983.

Raggedy Ann (musical; also known as Rag Dolly), Nederlander Theatre, New York City, 1986, also produced in Moscow, the Soviet Union (now Russia), 1986.

A Walk on the Wild Side (musical), Musical Theatre Works, City Stage Company Theatre, New York City, 1988.

What About Luv? (musical), York Theatre, New York City, 1991-92.

On the Town (also known as On the Town in Concert), London Symphony Orchestra and San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra, both c. 1993.

Smiling Through (musical), Theatre Four, New York City, 1994.

(As Pat Birch) I Sent a Letter to My Love (musical), Primary Stages, New York City, 1995.

(With Susan Feldman) Band in Berlin (musical), Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1999.

The Snow Queen, Royal National Theatre, London, then Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia, PA, 1999.

Exactly Like You (musical), York Theatre Company, York Theatre at St. Peter's, New York City, beginning 1999.

Fiorello! (musical), New York State Theatre Institute, Troy, NY, 2004.

King Island Christmas (musical), New York State Theatre Institute, 2005.

Stage Work; Other:

The Creation of the World and Other Business, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1972.

Production supervisor, V.I.P. Night on Broadway (benefit production), Shubert Theatre, 1979.

Also worked on Falstaff (opera), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC.

Stage Appearances; Musicals; as Dancer:

Brigadoon, New York City Light Opera Company, City Center Theatre and Adelphi Theatre, both New York City, 1957.

Carousel, New York City Light Opera Company, City Center Theatre, 1957.

Oklahoma!, New York City Light Opera Company, City Center Theatre, 1958.

Goldilocks, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1958-59.

Stage Appearances; Musicals; as Actress:

Anybody's, West Side Story, Winter Garden Theatre and Alvin Theatre, both New York City, 1960.

Constance, Fortuna, Maidman Playhouse, New York City, 1962.

Film Choreographer:

Choreographer of "Steppin' on the Spaniel" sequence, Savages, Angelika Films, 1972.

The Wild Party (also known as Wild Party), American International Pictures, 1975.

A Little Night Music (musical; also known as Das Laecheln einer Sommernacht), New World Pictures, 1977.

Roseland, New Yorker Films, 1977.

Grease (musical; also known as Brillantine), Paramount, 1978.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (musical), Universal, 1978.

Gilda Live, Warner Bros., 1980.

Zoot Suit (musical), Universal, 1981.

Grease 2 (musical; also known as Brillantine 2 and Son of Grease), Paramount, 1982.

Big (also known as Big—isoksi yhdessae, Duzy, Petit bonhomme, Quero ser grande, Quisiera ser grande, and Vreau sa fiu mare), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988.

Choreographer of Las Vegas sequences, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (also known as Elvira), New World Pictures, 1988.

Working Girl (also known as Armas de mujer, Die Waffen der Frauen, Dolgozo lany, O femeie face cariera, Podnikava divka, Pracujaca dziewczyna, Quand les femmes s'en melent, Secretaria ejecutiva, Uma mulher de sucesso, Uma secretaria de futuro, Una donna in carriera, Working girl—med huvudet paa skaft!, Working girl—Quand les femmes s'en melent, and Working girl—tieni huipulle), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988.

Awakenings (also known as Cas probuzeni, Despertares, Ebredesek, Heraeaemisiae, L'eveil, Oppvaakningen, Prebujenja, Przebudzenia, Risvegli, Tempo de despertar, Uppvaknanden, Xypnimata, and Zeit des Erwachens), Columbia, 1990.

(As Pat Birch) Stella (also known as A minha mae Stella and Stella—ensam mor), Buena Vista, 1990.

(As Pat Birch) Billy Bathgate, Buena Vista, 1991.

(As Pat Birch) Sleeping with the Enemy, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991.

(As Pat Birch) This Is My Life, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992.

(As Pat Birch) Used People, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992.

The Cowboy Way (also known as Cowboy Way, Deux cow-boys a New York, Dyo cowboy sti N. Yorki, Machen wir's wie Cowboys, Sexy Cowboys schiessen schaerfer, Sonny & Pepper. Due irresistibili cowboy, and Vaqueros de Nueva York), Universal, 1994.

(As Pat Birch) North (also known as Det perfekte barn, Genitori cercasi, Home, sweet mome, Horim B'Huzmana, L'irresistible North, Norte, North—Eltern, nein danke!, North, o puto maravilha, O anjo da guarda, Snacka om rackartyg, Un muchacho llamado Norte, and Vanhemmat vaihtoon), Columbia, 1994.

(As Pat Birch) The First Wives Club (also known as Der Club der Teufelinnen, El club de las divorciadas, El club de las primeras esposas, El club de las primeres esposes, Elvalt noek klubja, Foere detta fruars klubb, Forstekoneklubben, Hylaettyjen vaimojen kerho, Il club delle prime mogli, Ilk esler kuluebue, Klub vrazjih babnic, Le club des ex, O clube das desquitadas, O clube das divorciadas, and Zmowa pierwszych zon), Paramount, 1996.

(As Pat Birch) The Human Stain (also known as Der menschliche Makel and La couleur du mensonge), Miramax, 2003.

The Stepford Wives, Paramount, 2004.

Little Manhattan, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2005.

The Nanny Diaries, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2007.

Film Director:

Dance director, Roseland, New Yorker Films, 1977.

Angel, 1980.

Grease 2 (musical; also known as Brillantine 2 and Son of Grease), Paramount, 1982.

Film Work; Other:

Stager of musical sequences, The Wild Party (also known as Wild Party), American International Pictures, 1975.

Some sources state that an uncredited Birch was a dancer in Grease (musical; also known as Brillantine), Paramount, 1978.

Television Choreographer; Series:

The Electric Company (also known as The Reading Program), PBS, 1971-74.

Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live '80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, c. 1979-85.

The New Show, NBC, 1984.

It's Gary Shandling's Show, Showtime, 1986-90, Fox, 1988-90.

Square One TV, PBS, 1987-94.

Good Sports, CBS, 1991.

Choreographer for other programs, including programs with the Muppets.

Television Director; Miniseries:

Segment director, Dancing, PBS, 1993.

Television Choreographer; Specials:

The Goldie Hawn Special, CBS, 1978.

The Robert Klein Show, NBC, 1981.

"Candide," Live from Lincoln Center (also known as Live from Lincoln Center: Candide), PBS, 1986.

(With Humphrey Burton) "Celebrating Gershwin" (also known as "The Jazz Age" and "'S Wonderful"), Great Performances, PBS, 1987.

(As Pat Birch) The Orchestra, 1990.

(And stager) Donny Osmond: This Is the Moment (also known as This Is the Moment TV Donny Osmond), 2001.

Television Director; Specials:

"Three by Three," Dance in America, PBS, 1985.

Christmas with Flicka, 1987.

Segment director, Great Performances' 20th Anniversary Special, PBS, 1992.

"Unforgettable, with Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat King Cole," Great Performances, PBS, 1992.

On the Town in Concert, 1993.

"Natalie Cole's Untraditional Christmas," Great Performances, PBS, 1994.

Television Choreographer; Awards Presentations:

Choreographer for various awards presentations, including The Academy Awards, The American Music Awards, and The Grammy Awards.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

(As Pat Birch) Herself, "Grease," Behind the Music (also known as Behind the Music: Grease, BtM, and VH1's "Behind the Music"), VH1, 2000.

Herself (audience member), Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, 2003.

RECORDINGS

Music Video Choreographer:

Cyndi Lauper, "Money Changes Everything," 1984.

(As Pat Birch) Lauper, "True Colors," 1986.

Rolling Stones, "Harlem Shuffle," 1986.

Carly Simon, "Better Not Tell Her," c. 1990.

Choreographer for Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop" and for other music videos by various artists, including "Beat Street Slut," "Frankie," "It's My Party," "Jump," and "The Very Thought of You."

Music Video Director:

Cyndi Lauper, "Money Changes Everything," 1984.

(As Pat Birch) Oak Ridge Boys, "Little Things," 1985.

(As Pat Birch) Lauper, "True Colors," 1986.

Video Choreographer:

Choreographed NBC Olympic Video.

Video Director:

Callanetics (also known as Callanetics by Callan Pinckney), Universal Studios, 1986.

Director of various music videos, Cyndi Lauper: 12 Deadly Cynsand Then Some, Sony Music Video Enterprises, 1994.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Dance, August, 1999, p. 42.

New York Times, October 29, 1972.