Jonathan S. Cerullo

Jonathan Stuart Cerullo is an award-winning director-choreographer and executive producer whose career in professional entertainment spans over 40 years. His work includes Broadway, Off-Broadway, national tours, international productions, symphony concerts, cabaret, film, television, and the circus arts.
In 2025, Jonathan will direct, choreograph, and serve as production supervisor for the NY Off-Broadway premiere of Mr. Puppy The Musical, based on the popular brand of the same name, as well as direct the industry presentation of Green, The Musical, based on the popular Arthurian Legends.
In 2024, Jonathan conceived, directed, and staged A Lotta Night Music, Amas Musical Theatre’s 55th Anniversary Benefit Gala honoring Tony Award nominee director/choreographer Patricia Birch and Sweeny Todd’s original Broadway’s star, Len Cariou, hosted by Broadway World’s journalist and TV Host, Richard Ridge, and starring Lorna Luft, daughter of the legendary Judy Garland. That same year, he executive produced and directed Mr. Puppy: The Musical, and in 2023, directed My Stellar Performance, But I Digress, written and performed by Harriett Robinson in NYC. Before that, he directed Windywoo at the Legacy Theatre in Connecticut.
In 2023, Jonathan earned a Master of Arts in the Business of Creative Enterprises from his alma mater, Emerson College, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing in 1982. He also executive-produced and directed the Broadway Reunion of Legs Diamond in Concert and Conversation at the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, hosted by Broadway World’s Richard Ridge.
In 2021, he made his Los Angeles directorial debut at the award-winning Blank Theatre with Hard On Love by Scott Barry, starring Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award-winner Rob Nagle and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Jesse Havea.
During the 2020 pandemic, Jonathan conceived, directed, and executive produced With Love, Now and Forever: CATS4COVID Relief, reuniting his fellow castmates from the original Broadway production National Tour of CATS as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares and The Actors Fund. Hosted by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Tom Viola, the benefit raised $25,000.
In 2019, he wrote and staged Amas@50, celebrating Amas Musical Theatre’s 50th anniversary and honoring Harry Belafonte and legendary manager Shelly Berger. The concert was hosted by Tony Award-winner Lillias White and featured Leslie Uggams, Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson, and Tony Award-winner Len Cariou. That same year, he directed the industry reading of Carol of Carroll Gardens starring Tony Award-winner Karen Ziemba, Panther City at the Fort Worth Arts Center, the Off-Broadway premiere of Pie Lessons by award-winning playwright and costume designer Carrie Robbins, and Darkened City by Armenian composer David Hall.
In 2018, Jonathan directed and choreographed the critically acclaimed all-male version of The Boys from Syracuse at the Off-Broadway Lion Theatre. In 2017, he produced and directed the sold-out 30th Anniversary Concert of the Tony-nominated musical Legs Diamond at Feinstein’s/54 Below, reuniting many original cast members. He also created and directed The Flip Side: The Unknown Gems of Ahrens and Flaherty and No Foolin’ at Amas Musical Theatre.
Earlier in his career, Jonathan directed and choreographed the award-winning Chance for the Fresh Fruit Festival (winner of the Fruity Award for Outstanding Production Design and Outstanding Performance), and Fictitious, a new musical by Paul Cozby and Tom Hyndman, for which he won Best Director at Theatre Now New York’s SOUND BITES festival. For the New York Musical Festival (NYMF), he directed Windywoo and Her Naughty Naughty Pets, choreographed Lisa and Leonardo, and Under Fire (NYMF 2009 Best of Fest), and produced Orphan Train, directed by Emmy Award-winner Patricia Birch.

Off-Broadway directing credits include Harold Rome’s Pins and Needles at La MaMa ETC | HOWL Festival, Willie and Me: The Emmett Kelly Story, Wonderful Town at the Equity Library Theatre, and Midsummer Nights for Musical Theatre Works. He also directed Uta Hagen’s 50-Year Tribute hosted by Matthew Broderick and Celeste Holm.
For television, Jonathan choreographed Orpheus in the Underworld for Great Performances, Evening at Pops, and directed and choreographed Dear Mr. Gershwin with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra in Canada. He served as assistant choreographer on The First Wives Club, Donny Osmond’s This Is the Moment, and Natalie Cole’s Christmas Special. He was the movement director for Bette Midler on The Stepford Wives (Paramount Pictures) and directed for Studio Festi and the New York City Columbus Day Parade (NBC and RAI TV). He conceived, produced, and directed the SDC Foundation tribute video for the Mr. Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre.
He choreographed Carnivale! and Picturesque for the Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center, and was the dance instructor for Say Goodnight, Gracie starring the late Frank Gorshin. Broadway credits include assistant director/choreographer for Band in Berlin, associate choreographer for Anna Karenina, and production assistant to two-time Tony Award-winner Joe Layton on The Three Musketeers.
As a performer, he appeared in the Broadway production of Legs Diamond, as well as on the original cast album, and was the original Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat, on the National 3 tour of Cats, and played Big Daddy in Fosse’s Sweet Charity starring Tony Award-winner Donna McKechnie.
Regionally, Jonathan choreographed Camelot at Berkshire Theatre Festival and served as private dance instructor to Uta Hagen for Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks at the Geffen Playhouse. He premiered as director and co-author of The Fifth Dentist in Search of Sid’s Treasure at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and has worked at North Shore Music Theatre and Theatre By the Sea, and the Tony Award recognized Goodspeed Opera House. His work has been seen internationally with the Toronto pre-Broadway production of R.S.V.P. Broadway, and Cy Coleman’s Grace, The Musical in Amsterdam, as well as a TV Special for Japan’s NHK Television.
Jonathan is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), and the Dramatists Guild of America (DGA). In 2023, he received the prestigious SDC’s President’s Award. He has served as Vice Chair of the Callaway Award Committee, as a Lucille Lortel Awards nominator, and on the Alumni Board for NYMF. He also volunteers with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
In 2013, he founded JSCTheatricals, LLC, through which he has produced galas, readings, concerts, and events, collaborating with luminaries such as Wynton Marsalis, Philip Glass, Philippe Petit, and Abigail Disney. In addition to his work in theater, Jonathan is an accomplished photographer and was an award recipient in the 1979 United Nations International Year of the Child Photo Contest.
For more information, please visit www.jsctheatricals.com.