We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jerome Vivona. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jerome below.
Jerome, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
This is such a complex question. There are so many stages of development and learning and all of that started with a desire to have something uniquely my own that would challenge me and provide opportunity to commit deeply and passionately to the discipline of learning and expanding my own limits. When I was in elementary school, I had a wonderful teacher who saw something in me and placed me into a traveling theater group – we would put on educational plays and musicals based upon fables or short stories and present them in neighboring school districts and community centers; it gave me an understanding of how things were put together and the joy of performing on a stage and for others. Later, in High School I began auditioning for Commercials and Films – requiring me to travel to the city often for “go-see’s and auditions. I had the opportunity to read for the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and Taylor Hackford – but I didn’t have a lot of training at that time my results were mixed. I dove into theater at my High School and Local Community theater where I was fortunate to be surrounded by Mentors who gave me great insight, training and support – they truly changed the trajectory of my life. I chose, after initially attending College on a Soccer Scholarship, and experiencing an emotional hardship to leave school and to pursue a Ballet education with a local studio near my home – I walked in and told them I wanted to be a professional dancer and they explained that starting late was not uncommon for men, but would require a renewed focus and commitment to working many hours every day to learn the foundational elements and to solidify a strong technique and understanding of the art form. I dove right in – training 6-8 hours a day and within 6 months was accepted to the Joffrey School in NYC. I was placed on scholarship and taken under the wing of some very well known mentors and former professionals. I trained for a year – joining the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group and toured all over the New England College Circuit – performing and growing as an artist. That following Fall, one of my mentors at Joffrey was heading to Indiana University to join the Ballet Department and invited me to join the department on scholarship – I jumped at the chance. I spent a year there, learning and teaching for the first time to undergrad non-majors and performing regularly. I was thriving and falling in love with the community. While home on a break – I returned to the Joffrey School and was identified by the Director of the New Jersey Ballet to join their company for the Nutcracker season – I was cast as the Nutcracker Prince and a number of other soloist roles (Ballet Companies rotate their casts throughout the season) I experienced success and was invited to join the company Full time. I was exposed to truly gifted professionals both within the company and internationally known choreographers – the daily classes and rehearsals honed my technique as the physical demands were very high and the choreographers introduced me to varying styles and how important it was to be able to adapt to different types of music, dancing and storytelling through movement. The constant reflection and growth helped me to learn what I was best suited for and where I would find artistic development. I was then invited to join the Alberta Ballet (following another mentor there) and then the Oakland Ballet in California and finally returning to the New Jersey Ballet while I transitioned to my true passion – Broadway. I met another dancer in California who invited me to train in theater dance in NY when I returned and he introduced me to the teachers in NY that were passing down decades of learning and experience both in class and on-stage as professional Broadway Choreographers – and that’s how I started to gain work in the theater and ultimately my first broadway Production Contract working for the legendary Jerome Robbins. Each subsequent production on Broadway or on tour paired me with incredibly talented contemporaries and creative teams that showed me how important focus, attention to detail and having an outsized curiosity would be to having a long and fulfilling career. Without each of those experiences – I would not have had the career I’ve had. I’m truly grateful for the teachers and colleagues I’ve had to show me the way.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Jerome Vivona is an Actor living in NYC. He also works as a writer, producer, director, choreographer, dancer and singer.
He’s a graduate of the esteemed Commercial Theater Institute’s producing workshop in NYC. He was responsible for choreographing the W.I.T.C.H. launch commercial for the Disney Channel, ABC Family and Nickelodeon TV. He was nominated as Best Director for his multiple award-winning production of West Side Story in North Carolina. He also wrote, directed, and choreographed the World Premiere productions of: An American Canteen in Paris and Spotlight Broadway (winner of the audience favorite award), presented by Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Mr. Vivona choreographed two Broadway.com commercials that aired for three seasons during the Tony Awards broadcasts.
He also lists among his credits highly acclaimed productions of: Into the Woods, the Producers, The All Night Strut!, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Footloose and How To Succeed… among others. Off-Broadway he choreographed: Start from Hello and Tallulah’s Party, In Celebration of Life 6 and a featured piece for Wall to Wall Loesser. He also conceived, produced, directed and choreographed the off-Broadway production of Just Feet From Broadway. As an Original Broadway Cast Member; he was honored to produce/direct and perform in the 21st Anniversary Concert of Seussical, the Musical at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Jerome is the Founding Artistic Director of Stage Five Productions, LLC. a multi-faceted theatrical event production company presenting high powered new works.
With his wife Michelle, an accomplished Broadway actress and dancer, they are Co-Owners/Artistic Directors of the American Theater Dance Workshop; voted Best Arts School on Long Island in 2019, 2023 and 2024. Jerome has also served as Adjunct Professor of Musical Theater Dance at Nassau Community College, instructed undergraduate Ballet at the famed Indiana University School of Music and delivered Master classes at both Carnegie Mellon University and Syracuse University to Musical Theater BFA candidates and staged productions at both University of Scranton and LIU POST in their theater departments.
Michelle and Jerome Vivona have been married for 30 years and own and operate the award winning American Theater Dance Workshop on Long Island. Michelle and Jerome met as they were partnered together in the Paris Company of West Side Story. Returning home, they toured the US and Japan in Guys and Dolls Directed by Jerry Zaks and Choreographed by the late Chris Chadman, starring Lorna Luft. Jerome made his Broadway debut in the same show starring Nathan Lane. Soon after, they were married and moved to Long Island. Michelle joined the line at Radio City Musical Hall as a Rockette and Jerome opened on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying Directed by Des McAnuff and Choreographed by Wayne Cilento, starring Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, Sarah Jessica Parker and John Stamos. As Dance Captains, they took the show on the road with Ralph Macchio. Jerome assisted Wayne Cilento on his next Broadway project Dream, a Johnny Mercer Musical starring Leslie Ann Warren. Jerome went on to feature in the original Broadway casts of Seussical, the Musical Directed by Oscar Winner Rob Marshall and Choreographed by Tony Winner Kathleen Marshall, and then Kiss Me, Kate Directed by Tony Winner’s Michael Blakemore and Kathleen Marshall. Michelle was then cast in Thoroughly Modern Millie Directed by Tony Winner Michael Mayer and Choreographed by Tony Winner Rob Ashford, starring Tony Winner Sutton Foster. Jerome was then featured in the Kander and Ebb musical Curtains, directed by Tony Winner Scott Ellis and Choreographed by Tony Award Winner Rob Ashford, and starring the Emmy and Tony Award Winner David Hyde Pierce. Jerome won the audience favorite award for two original shows he wrote, directed and choreographed: An American Canteen in Paris and Spotlight Broadway for the James L. Nederlander Organization and Celebrity Cruise Lines, respectively. Recently, Jerome was showcased in the World Premiere of the New Musical The Nutty Professor. Directed by Marc Bruni, Choreographed by JoAnn Hunter with music by Marvin Hamlisch and Book/Lyrics by Rupert Holmes. And Michelle and Jerome had the opportunity to perform together on a hit Paramount + TV series recently that shot the episode in Austin Texas and the Episode will air in Mid 2025.
Mr. Vivona’s Film credits include The Stepford Wives starring Nicole Kidman, Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, and Christopher Walken, and Everyone Says I Love You starring Julia Roberts and Goldie Hawn. And starring in the short films: Liminal, The Stu and Dichotomy. His TV credits include: 1923, The Today Show, David Letterman, Rosie O’Donnell, The Tony Awards and The Kennedy Center Honors.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I had already made my Broadway debut and was now in “the club” and was routinely getting invited to private calls for new and upcoming productions. So, I was in the room with the elite dancers and performers that were currently working on Broadway and professionally in NY and across America. It was a really wonderful feeling to be in the tight knit group of 40-80 male dancers who were consistently in the running for every new project to come into town.
My in-laws had arrived late the night before from Pittsburgh for a visit and we all were up very late – like wee hours of the night late and I had an important audition for the Broadway Revival of “How to Succeed in Business without really trying” starring Matthew Broderick. The Choreographer, who I admired greatly, but had not yet worked with was Tony Award Winner and Broadway legend – Wayne Cilento. During the process of learning the choreography we would break into small groups of four to demonstrate our ability and to be cut from each progressive round of the audition. Mind you, I’m in the room with 40 other high level dancers and friends and as the music starts for my group of four – about 32 counts into the combination I just come up blank – can’t remember what comes next and I am forced to stop mid routine. We switch position, start again for the second time and it happens again in a slightly different spot. I expect the worst and rightly so, I was cut from moving further into the audition. I knew I could dance this choreography flawlessly and with something special – it just fit my body and my artistic abilities – I just needed to advocate for myself. So, I walked up to Wayne Cilento, who was reviewing headshots at the front of the room and said ” You can’t cut me.” He looked at me and simply asked “oh, why not?” and I said “because I know I can dance the Shit out of this and you need to give me another chance. I will prove it to you” he laughed and said “Ok, come back in with the next group – but, you better dance the shit out of it” and with renewed purpose I came back into the room and performed with all the energy and mastery I could – turns out I was the first person hired for the production and ultimately became a dance captain spending 2.5 years both as an original Broadway Cast Member and then helping to stage the national tour and serve as Dance Captain for that as well (with my wife) (NOTE: a DANCE CAPTAIN is responsible for the ongoing quality of the production, casting and onboarding of new members of the cast and reporting directly to Wayne Cilento and the Stage Management team and became a close associate and assistant to Wayne Cilento for years following)
Have you ever had to pivot?
When my children were little, I found that I was questioning whether or not 8 shows a week on Broadway – taking me away from them 6 days a week and rarely ever putting them to bed was the thing I wanted most? I had transitioned to Directing and Choreographing professionally as well – but that would take me away from them for weeks and months at a time. I had a really tough conversation with myself backstage one day when I was on the phone with my wife trying to find out the score of my daughters soccer game (I was her coach and usually scheduled games and practices for very early on Saturday mornings and Monday nights – when I was off from my show) and realized I wanted to be on the sideline more than I wanted to be onstage. So, my wife asked if I could make a living as a coach (as I was volunteering a lot of hours) and I said I would figure it out. I started taking coaching certification courses and coaching teams to pay the bills – I was identified by a lead coach educator for Red Bull New York and the NSCAA (now the United Soccer Coaches Association) and offered a job as a professional coach in the youth training programs with Red Bull New York Soccer Team. At the same time I had been identified by the Long Island Junior Soccer League as a Coach for the Select teams and I was now coaching 7 days a week working with local travel teams, select teams and developmental teams. I progressed quickly and was given opportunities to become a high level coach educator and moved up the ranks in the US coaching structure and worked for US Soccer, USC, LIJSL and then as a Regional Manager for the RBNY responsible for all of the Youth programs contracted with RBNY in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and Staten Island. I was elevated to working with State and Regional Teams with Eastern New York Soccer Association and training coaches both nationally and internationally. I had a fantastic job doing something I loved and making a huge difference in youth sports. I got to see my kids and was home with them and it worked out I had the pleasure of being their coach into their teens. When my kids went to College (for theater degrees) I realized that my time in Soccer was drawing to a close as performing, producing and creating was tugging at my heart again. So, I left my 15 year soccer life behind and returned to creating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jeromevivona.com
- Instagram: @jeromevivona
Image Credits
Paris Photos (portraits) Katie Donnelly Photography
Paris Photo onstage: Photo Credit Jerome Vivona
Headshots: Jeffrey Mosier