Thomas Kail (born January 20, 1977)“Thomas Kail”, Internet Broadway Database. is an American theatre director, television director, and producer. He is known for directing the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musicals In the HeightsBacalzo, Daniel. "In the Heights Director Thomas Kail Receives Martin E. Segal Award". Theatre Mania. May 10, 2010. and Hamilton, garnering the 2016 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for the latter. Kail was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018. He has also directed the television series Fosse/Verdon (2019), for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Early life and education Kail grew up in Alexandria, Virginia"Thomas Kail" . Lincoln Center Theater. July 31, 2009. and graduated from Sidwell Friends School in 1995 and subsequently from Wesleyan University in 1999.American Theatre Wing. "Biographies – Thomas Kail, Director" , June 2009. He remains good friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda, with whom he co-created, along with Anthony Veneziale, the freestyle hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme."Playbill's Who's Who Biographies" Hetrick, Adam. "In the Heights Lin-Manuel Miranda Sets Freestyle Love Supreme Date at Irving Plaza" . Playbill. January 5, 2011. Kail is Jewish.
Career After graduating from Wesleyan University, Kail became assistant stage manager at New Jersey's American Stage Company."Thomas Kail" broadway.com
Kail directed the 24 Hour Plays benefit performances in 2007 and 2008, where "6 short plays are written, rehearsed, directed, and performed in 24 hours."The Broadway League. 24 Hour Plays (2007) | IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information. Internet Broadway Database In 2007, he directed Julia Jordan's A Bus Stop Play, and Beau Willimon's Zusammenbruch in 2008. Both shows played at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway.The Broadway League. 24 Hour Plays (2008) | IBDB: The Official Source for Broadway Information. Internet Broadway Database
Kail directed the hit Broadway musical In the Heights, which garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical.Kennedy, Mark. "Thomas Kail Enjoying His 'Year of Transition'". ABC News. December 10, 2010. The musical premiered on Broadway, starting in previews on February 14, 2008, with an official opening on March 9, 2008, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.Kenneth Jones. "In the Heights Will Play Broadway's Richard Rodgers Starting February 2008" . Playbill.
Kail directed Broke-ology, which played from October 5, 2009, to November 22, 2009, at the Lincoln Center Theater Off-Broadway. This play garnered Kail an AUDELCO Award nomination for Best Director of a Dramatic Production.Brokeology. Lortel Archives/Internet Off-Broadway Database. Kail also staged the world premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. In 2009, Kail also directed the New York City Center's Encores! production of the musical The Wiz."Thomas Kail to Direct The Wiz for New York City Center" TheaterMania. February 24, 2009.Gans, Andrew. , playbill.com, July 5, 2009.
Kail directed Eric Simonson's play Lombardi, based on Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi through a week in the 1965 season, as he attempts to lead his team to the championship.Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth. "Heights Director Kail to Direct Football-Themed Lombardi at Broadway's Circle in the Square" , playbill.com, April 14, 2010. Lombardi officially premiered on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on October 21, 2010.
He then directed the Off-Broadway run of Nathan Louis Jackson's When I Come to Die, which ran in January and February 2011.Hetrick, Adam. Tony Nominee Kail and Jackson Will Collaborate for Upcoming LCT3 Season . Playbill.When I Come To Die. Lortel Archives/Internet Off-Broadway Database.
Kail reunited with Lombardi playwright Eric Simonson on Magic/Bird, a new play chronicling the intertwined life stories of basketball Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The play premiered on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on March 21, 2012, in previews, officially on April 11, 2012, and closed on May 12, 2012. Kail directed, with the cast that featured Kevin Daniels as "Magic" Johnson and Tug Coker as Larry Bird."Magic/Bird Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed September 26, 2015.
Kail continued his collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, directing the musical Hamilton in 2015, both Off-Broadway and on Broadway, for which he won a Tony Award."Thomas Kail Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed September 25, 2015.
Kail directed Grease: Live for Paramount Television, screened live on Fox on January 31, 2016;"Grease:Live, About the Show" fox.com. Accessed February 2, 2016. the world premiere of Dry Powder with Hank Azaria, Claire Danes, John Krasinski and Sanjit De Silva which ran from March to May 2016 at The Public Theater in New York City;"The Verdict: What Do Critics Think of Dry Powder?" by Olivia Clement, Playbill, March 23, 2016. and Tiny Beautiful Things, also at The Public, from November to December 2016.
On July 5, 2018, FX announced an eight-episode order for a limited-series entitled Fosse/Verdon, with Sam Rockwell playing the role of Bob Fosse and Michelle Williams playing the role of Gwen Verdon. On October 25, 2018, it was reported that Thomas Kail would direct at least four of the series' eight episodes and he would go on to direct a total of five episodes. Kail was nominated for Outstanding Directing – Movies for Television and Limited Series by the Directors Guild of America for the episode "Nowadays."
In May 2023, it was announced that Kail would direct a live action adaptation of the Disney animated film Moana, making his narrative feature directorial debut. He was also attached to direct and co-produce the remake of Fiddler on the Roof for Amazon MGM Studios.
Personal life Kail began a relationship with theatre actress Angela Christian in 2006; they divorced in 2019. In December 2019, it was announced that he was engaged to Fosse/Verdon actress Michelle Williams, who was expecting their first child together; they married in March 2020. Their son, Hart, was born by June that year. In May 2022, Williams revealed she was pregnant with their second child together, who was born later in 2022. In early 2025, via surrogate, Kail and Williams welcomed their third child together.
Kail and Williams are raising their young children within Judaism, and Williams (who is not Jewish) is studying the religion herself. Williams also has a daughter from a previous relationship with actor Heath Ledger.
Works Film YearTitleDirectorProducerNotes2020We Are Freestyle Love SupremeDocumentary film2020Hamilton2023World's Best2026Moana
Television YearTitleDirectorExecutiveProducerWriterNotes2006Critical HoursTV pilot2009StorymakersThe Electric CompanyMusical director2010The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special20122 Broke Girls3 episodes2015The Jack and Triumph Show2 episodes2016Grease Live!TV special2019Fosse/Verdon5 episodes2023Up Here2 episodes2024We Were the Lucky Ones2 episodes
As himself YearTitleNotes2008Roadtrip NationTV episode 2009In the Heights: Chasing Broadway DreamsEpisode of PBS' Great Performances
Theater Director YearTitleVenueNotes2005In the HeightsEugene O'Neill Theater CenterRegional200737 Arts TheaterOff-BroadwayThe 24 Hour PlaysAmerican Airlines TheatreBroadway2008In the HeightsRichard Rodgers Theatre2009Broke-ologyMitzi E. Newhouse TheatreOff-BroadwayIn the HeightsVariousUS Tour2010LombardiCircle in the SquareBroadway2011When I Come to DieDuke on 42nd StreetOff-BroadwayIn the HeightsVariousUS Tour2012Magic/BirdLongacre TheatreBroadway2015HamiltonThe Public TheaterOff-Broadway2016Dry PowderDaphne's DiveSignature Center2016–presentHamiltonRichard Rodgers TheatreBroadwayVariousUS Tour 2016 Tiny Beautiful Things The Public Theater Off-Broadway 2017–present Hamilton Victoria Palace Theatre West End 2018 Kings The Public TheaterOff-Broadway 2019–2020 Freestyle Love Supreme (Also producer) Greenwich House Theatre2019 Derren Brown: Secret Cort TheatreBroadway Freestyle Love Supreme Booth Theatre The Wrong Man Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space Off-Broadway 2023 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Broadway 2025 Anna Christie St. Ann's Warehouse Off-Broadway2026ProofBooth TheatreBroadway
Performer YearTitleVenue2014Faust: The ConcertCity Center
Accolades YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.2007Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Director of a MusicalIn the HeightsDrama Desk AwardOutstanding Director of a MusicalSDC Joseph A. Callaway AwardBest Director2008Tony AwardBest Director of a Musical2010AUDELCO AwardBest Director of a Dramatic ProductionBroke-ology2011NAACP AwardBest Director of a MusicalIn the HeightsAUDELCO AwardBest Director of a Dramatic ProductionWhen I Come To Die2014Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Director of a PlayFamily Furniture2015Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding DirectorHamiltonOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Director of a Musical Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Director of a Musical2016Tony AwardBest Direction of a MusicalPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Special Class ProgramGrease: LiveOutstanding Directing for a Variety Special2018Laurence Olivier AwardBest DirectorHamiltonKennedy Center Honors (shared with Andy Blankenbuehler, Alex Lacamoire and Lin-Manuel Miranda) 2019Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Limited SeriesFosse/VerdonOutstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic SpecialFosse/Verdon(Episode: "Who's Got the Pain?")2020Grammy AwardsBest Music FilmWe Are Freestyle Love Supreme Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV FilmFosse/Verdon(Episode: "Nowadays")Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Director of a MusicalThe Wrong Man2021 Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV FilmHamiltonPrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie2023Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Director of a MusicalSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
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