Musical Theatre | Choreographer/Director
August 11 – August 18
Karla Puno Garcia (she/her) is one of Dance Magazine’s 2024 “25 to Watch.” As a proud Filipina-American artist, Karla emphasizes musicality as a story-telling device and unapologetic individuality to create worlds and bring characters to life. In 2023, she was the first woman of color to choreograph the Tony Awards in a year where there was no script and dance opened the show. Her work is seen in the opening number and the tribute to Joel Grey and John Kander.
This past spring, Karla made her choreographic debut on Broadway with Days of Wine and Roses, starring Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’arcy James. Previously, Karla choreographed the Off-Broadway show The Connector at MCC Theatre. She was the lead choreographer for Starz’s Power Book III: Raising Kanaan season 3 and her work is seen in the Netflix film Tick, Tick … BOOM! directed by Lin Manuel Miranda (additional scenes). Other choreography credits include Noir (The Alley Theatre), Rent (Theatre Aspen), Gone Missing (Encores! Off-Center), Other World (Delaware Theatre Company), Somewhere (Geva Theatre), One Thousand Nights and A Day (Prospect Theatre), and In the Heights (VA Rep, Artsie Award for Best Choreography). Karla has also created live events work for Smuggler, Boot Barn, La Liga, Univision, the New York Knicks and more.
Karla’s self-produced/directed short films The Spot, They Wake, and Bustin’ Loose have been selected for several dance film festivals including San Francisco Dance Film Fest, LA Dance Film Fest, and DC Dance Film Fest. She has also directed/choreographed pieces for multiple Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids events including Broadway Backwards, Red Bucket Follies, Easter Bonnet, and Dancers Responding to Aids.
Karla has performed on Broadway in Hamilton, West Side Story, Gigi, and Hot Feet; and on the National Tours Wicked and Addams Family. She was seen on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance (season 5), NBC’s Smash (season 2), Annie Live!, Better Nate Than Ever, Blues Clues Broadway Dreams, Kennedy Center Honors, and more. Karla holds a BFA in Dance and a Minor in Journalism from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, and has taught workshops all around the world.
Coming soon, Karla will choreograph the world premiere of Darko Tresnjak’s Ask For The Moon at Goodspeed Musicals and Tick Tick… Boom! in Tokyo, Japan. www.KarlaPunoGarcia.com
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