About Steven Petrillo
As a theatre professional for nearly 30 years, Steven has crossed various genres and disciplines.
In the 1980’s, he focused on modern dance, winning awards and scholarships while attending his alma mater, Hunter College in NYC. He studied with Paul Taylor, Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis, and at Jacobs Pillow with a variety of choreographers. In 1987 his piece CATCH! was featured in the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, hosted by Donald Saddler.
After graduating, he focused on theatre.
As a performer, Mr. Petrillo's Broadway and Production National Tour credits include Peter Pan, starring Cathy Rigby; Man of La Mancha, starring Robert Goulet; and Jesus Christ Superstar, starring Carl Anderson. On television, he has had featured roles on Law & Order C.I., opposite Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe, and the NBC mini-series A Will of Their Own‚ opposite Lea Thompson and Thomas Gibson, as well as appearances in the Films The Stepford Wives and Devil’s Advocate, among others.
Look for his most recent TV spot in the latest New York Powerball/Mega Millions Commercial opposite a cardboard cutout of Ralph, The Lottery Guy.
As a director/choreographer, Steve has helmed many musicals, plays, and revues.
He began his directing career in the 1990’s as an assistant on shows like Chess, Crazy For You, Me & My Girl, High Society, Kiss Me Kate and Singin' in the Rain at such theatres as The North Shore Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre, The North Carolina Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, The La Mirada Theatre, and Seattle’s Fifth Ave Theatre.
In the early part of the millennium Steven branched out on his own as a director-choreographer.
He made his Off-Broadway directorial debut with Sessions, a musical about therapy, at Playwrights Horizons, earning him critical acclaim, and an extension due to popularity. This was the culmination of three years of readings and workshops, and backer's auditions. It was truly a learning and rewarding experience.
Regionally, he won critical acclaim for directing and/or choreographing regional productions of Route 66, Rumors, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Fiddler on the Roof and Love! Valour! Compassion!
Most recently, Steve garnered raves for his production of A Grand Night For Singing, a Rodgers and Hammerstein Revue that includes songs from all 11 shows they wrote together, at The Labuda Arts Center in Pennsylvania.
For the better part of the past decade, his work on new musicals has extended from the developmental series at The York Theatre Company in NYC, to his tenure at The WorkShop Theatre Company, where he is Director of Musical Theatre Development.
As a writer/director, he has collaborated on more than a dozen new works including Operaplay by Rick Eisenberg, and The Fountain of Youth by Steven Aprahamian, an epic tale about Juan Ponce de Leon and his quest for the famed elixir. Listen for this latter piece online, as the CD is due out later this year, 2011, with Steve Blanchard an Xander Chauncey in leading roles.
In his spare time, Steve holds a weekly “Musical Theatre GYM”, where singer-actors come and work on material for auditions, cabaret shows, or even recordings in an inexpensive, creative and constructive environment.
Currently, Mr. Petrillo is helming a production of Life x3, by Yasmina Reza, at The ACC (The Amatuer Comedy Club), in NYC.
In his spare time, Steven is a budding poet.