Biography:
Paul is an award –winning director/ choreographer who found his path after many years of struggling with what to do with his life. He started as a drummer, following in his father's footsteps, at the age of four, and eventually took his love for rhythms into the dance world. As a dancer, he was trained by some of the world's finest teachers/training centers including Hubbard Street Dance, Lou Conte, Gregory Hines, Brenda Buffalino, Lane Alexander and Paul Taylor.
From there he found his way into the musical theatre world where worked with Harold Prince and Patricia Birch in the Lyric Opera of Chicago's Candide. Dividing his time with theatre was the rock world, where he was the drummer for local favorites, Voodoo Buss.
Arriving in the Big Apple in 1997, he was fortunate enough to find an immediate home Off-Broadway as a Blue Man in the hit show Blue Man Group. From there, he was invited to be a part of the original New York cast of the cult hit, De La Guarda.
In 2001, Paul and colleague, Brian Rhinehart, took their experimental theatre company, Aporia Players, and entered a show he helped create while in graduate school into the New York International Fringe Festival. The show, Einstein's' Dreams, earned Paul a Best Direction Award following a sold out run.
In 2003, he accepted a position as Adjunct Professor at Marymount College in New York where he taught Acting II: Contemporary Realism, as well as Acting for the Camera. In 2005, he choreographed their main stage production of Inspector General, directed by Brian Rhinehart.
Starting to find his voice, he went on to direct and/or choreograph productions of Crazy for You, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Sunday On the Rocks and the world premier of the award winning The Heart Rising. In November of 2005, he was selected by TONY winning choreographer, Rob Ashford, to Assistant Choreograph The Wedding Singer through the SSCD Observership Program. The Wedding Singer opened on Broadway in May of 2006.
Currently, Paul is the Resident Director of the National tour of The Lion King. His first full-length musical, ROCKSHOW, which he wrote with writing partners Chris Blisset and Matt Uremovich, has been optioned by CRW Productions in New York. Paul holds a B.A. degree from Western Illinois University and a M.F.A. degree from the University of Florida.
Contact Info:
Paul Stancato
paul@paulstancato.com
917-741-8857
