Brad Willcuts

Biography

Brad Willcuts received his BA from Minnesota State University and MFA in Theatre Performance Pedagogy emphasizing in Musical Theatre and Movement from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association.

Brad worked at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City where he served as Assistant Fight Choreographer for the acclaimed Porgy and Bess production which opened September 13th, 2019. Brad has worked on Broadway for the 2015 new musical Amazing Grace where he served as Assistant Fight and Military Movement Director. He served as the same position for the show’s former iteration at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago (now known as the CIBC Theatre) for the “Broadway in Chicago” run as well as the ’17, ‘18 Broadway National Tour.

He has worked in Prague, Czechia where he served as Dance, Movement and Fight Assistant for the world premiere of Legende Holmes (Sherlock Holmes the Legend) at the prestigious Karlin Music Theatre. He served as Assistant Movement Director for the award-winning Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. starring Kathleen Turner which received a Helen Hayes nomination for Movement Direction. He worked as Assistant Fight Director for Romeo and Juliet at the Tony Award winning regional Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C.  He choreographed South Pacific at Virginia Repertory Theatre where he won the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle award for Best Choreography, Assistant Directed and Choreographed 9 to 5 starring Sally Struthers at Riverside Theatre, Mame at Virginia Repertory, Directed and Choreographed Joseph…Dreamcoat at Big Fork Summer Theatre and choreographed Arabian Nights for Broadway Director Gabriel Barre for VCU Theatre. While at MSU, Brad has Directed and Choreographed Grease, Urinetown, American Idiot, Oklahoma, Head Over Heels, Bright Star and Spring Awakening along with Grand Night for Singing, See Rock City, Love and Other Junk and The Play That Goes Wrong for the Summer Circle Theatre.

He recently choreographed the World Premiere of The Fantasticks at Flint Repertory Theatre.  Brad is Associate Professor of Musical Theatre and Choreography at Michigan State University where he also serves as the Head of Acting. As a tenured professor, Brad has won multiple awards and grants including the All-University Teacher/Scholar Award, the AT&T Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award, The Fintz Award for Excellence in Teaching and multiple Catalyst Grants to continue working with new media practices for actors and dancers in the classroom.

As a performer, Brad has worked across the country and in England as singer, dancer and actor performing with Bette Midler, Marvin Hamlisch, Christina Aguilera, Emily Skinner, and the international touring group The 12 Irish Tenors to name a few.