JANET ROSTON is an award-winning Director/Choreographer of theater, live performance, television, music video, live tours and commercials. Janet approaches her directing and choreography work from a theatrical premise and strives for an emotional connection from her performers. This holds true for her whether directing/choreographing a new musical, creating concert choreography or devising movement sequences for television.
Trained as a choreographer at UCLA, with an emphasis in contemporary dance, she quickly embraced the entertainment worlds a choreographer in theater, tv and film. Janet transitioned easily into directing, continuing her interest is musicals, rock opera, commercials, television, live shows and corporate projects. Janet truly loves the varied challenges that come from either working as a Choreographer helping to manifest a Director’s vision, or helming the project herself as Director/Choreographer.
As a Theatrical Director/Choreographer, Janet has developed a reputation for innovative work by combining new music with compelling drama and spectacular dance sequences. Janet is the Director, Choreographer and Co-Creator of Anaïs, A Dance Opera which tells the story of famed diarist Anaïs Nin. The production premiered in Los Angeles at the Greenway Court Theater, toured California and has performed internationally at the Festival l’OFF d’Avignon, La Nouvelle Eve, Paris and opened the International Theatre Festival in Casablanca, Morocco. Anaïs was produced by her company Mixed eMotion Theatrix. Other work includes Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera (American Repertory Theater, Boston; King King, Hollywood) based on the stranger than fiction story of skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan; Striking 12 (Laguna Playhouse), the intimate musical that contrasts Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Match Girl with a contemporary New Years Eve; Midsummer Night (Texas New Musical Festival, Tennessee Shakespeare Festival) a rock musical version of Shakespeare’s comedy set in a Rock Festival by composers Milburn/Vigoda; CarnEvil(Sacred Fools Theater, Hollywood) a rock horror musical; and shAme, (King King Nightclub) a goth musical version of The Scarlet Letter. Janet has been instrumental in developing many of these shows, working closely with the writers and composers. Janet is a proud alumni of the Directors Lab West and member of the SDC.
Theater choreography includes the hit musicals The Boy From Oz (Celebration Theatre. Winner choreography and Best Production Ovation Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, NAACP Nomination) The Color Purple (Celebration Theatre, Winner Choreography and Best Production Ovation Award, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, NAACP Award). Other theater choreography includes Cabaret (Celebration Theatre), Justin Love, (Celebration Theatre, Best Production Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards), Once On this Island, (International City Theater, Best Choreography NAACP Award); Avenue X (Odyssey Theater, Best Production Nomination Ovation Award); Failure, A Love Story (Coeurage Theatre Company, Best Production Nomination, Ovation Award. Included in Center Theater Group’s Block Party 2017)
Janet has created choreography for film, television and commercials including the award-winning promo for KCRW, Balance, which featured 200 world dancers. Other commercials include Wendy’s, Formula 409, Velveeta, Barbie, Motorola and many more. She was the series choreographer for The New Adventures of Old Christine, A League of Their Own and Ned and Stacey. She has staged the world tour of country music artist, Lonestar, and created the the live martial arts show Tiger Claw Martial Arts Elite for Disneyworld. Janet has received two American Choreography Awards.
Janet’s company, Mixed eMotion Theatrix was selected by the Los Angeles Music Center to create a site-specific work on Disney Hall for their event, Moves After Dark. The resulting work based on The Great Gatsby, Gatsby Redux, utilized the Blue Ribbon Garden for an immersive 1920’s soiree. Other concert choreography includes dances presented at London’s Royal Academy of Music, Theatre de la Ville of Cannes France and Los Angeles Dance Festival. Her choreography was the grand winner of the Palm Springs Choreography Festival.
In rehearsal Janet’s positive, upbeat approach makes her a sought-after as both Director/Choreographer and Choreographer, she’s just fun to work with. As a Director she projects a positive and professional authority, she clearly can articulate her needs to a large or small production team to propel her creative vision forward. As a choreographer she is a consummate collaborator, working closely with the director and production designers to develop dynamic concepts that enhance and expand each project. Her positive attitude combined with her extensive and varied background in movement, attention to detail, experience working with actors and dancers and collaborative spirit have enabled her to be continually involved in a wide range of projects involving movement, dance, spectacle, emotion and pure entertainment.
