Bway Veteran Robin Lewis Joins Rider University's Musical Theater Program

Rider's Westminster College of the Arts, which includes the renowned Westminster Choir College in Princeton, is placing Musical Theater at the forefront of strategic investment in the arts at its Lawrenceville campus. Lewis joins Broadway musician Nathan Hurwitz and Broadway touring veteran Mariann Cook (formerly musical theater voice faculty, University of Oklahoma) this fall after helping to establish a similar program at Texas State University.

"Robin brings such a terrific spirit and passion for dance, combined with his Broadway experience and vast teaching and choreographic work. We're thrilled to have him here to help build the new BFA in Musical Theater," said Rider Fine & Performing Arts Chair Jerry Rife. Mariann Cook, who joined Rider 2009 as head of musical theater voice, is thrilled that Lewis "will be able to share his extensive work as Broadway dancer, dance captain and swing, as well as his extraordinary skills as an educator and choreographer with our students."

Robin Lewis is a veteran of several Broadway stage productions including Disney's Beauty & the Beast (dance captain), A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden (dance captain), and Fosse (including the film version) with Ben Vereen and Ann Reinking. Additional credits include the Off-Broadway production of The Green Heart as well as the first national Broadway touring production of /people/Mel_Brooks/Mel Brooks' The Producers starring Jason Alexander and Martin Short.

From Broadway, he co-founded "TexARTS" in Austin, TX with partner and past Martha Graham Dance Company executive Todd Dellinger in 2005. Together, they brought over fifty Broadway guest teachers to work with their students and produced several musical productions with Broadway guest performers, directors and choreographers. "From Lee Roy Reams, Rebecca Luker and Ken Page to Ginger Thatcher, Rachelle Rak, Patrick Cassidy - and even Patrick's mom, Shirley Jones, we brought Broadway friends to teach & work alongside our students and regional performers. It was a blast to bring in friends and those whom I admired to share with our kids," said Lewis of his time in Austin. I look forward to continuing that exchange here at Rider - just an hour out of the city."

In addition to TexARTS and at Texas State, Lewis choreographed extensively for Austin's Zachary Scott Theater, Oklahoma Lyric and others, to broad critical acclaim. His choreography can be seen in Richard Linklater's film Bernie, starring Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine, which opened the L.A. Film Festival in June.

In addition to Texas State, Lewis has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and Saint Edward's University. He's been a guest lecturer for Broadway Theater Project, American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensives, Ballet Austin, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Oklahoma University, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, Camp Broadway in NYC, US Performing Arts Camp, and others nation wide. He has also been a guest teacher for, and holds membership with, the Musical Theater Educators Alliance and the Texas Educational Theatre Association among others. He is also a member of Actor's Equity.

"This shift back to the East Coast, and to Rider, is a new chapter - and a renewed opportunity to connect with my Broadway friends and colleagues," says Lewis, who looks forward to bringing several of those friends to engage with Rider students. "At the close of FOSSE, Ben [Vereen] said it was now our turn to share with the next generation. I'm looking forward to continuing my commitment to doing just that in my work here at Rider!"

For information about the University Musical Theatre Program, go to www.rider.edu. For more information on Robin Lewis, visit www.robinlewisdance.com.