GRAEME HENDERSON - biography
Graeme Henderson is one of a handful of performers to have played leading roles in classic plays at the Royal National Theatre and leading roles in West End musicals - and have a successful career as a choreographer!
He learned to dance at his American taught mother's dance academy in Liverpool - the Barbara Woff School. As a child he was consistently successful in competitions and festivals and worked in and around the region as both an amateur and professional child actor/dancer - making his professional debut at the age of 10 yrs old in 'Hansel and Gretel' at the Liverpool Playhouse. This was followed not long after by his television debut in 'Baa Bab Blacksheep' as part of the series 'Childhood' directed by Mike Newell.
His attendance at the Elliott Clarke School in Liverpool had prepared him for acceptance into the Royal Ballet School in London when he was offered the part of 'Taplow' in 'The Browning Version' at the National Theatre which he took - and completely changed the course of his career! After a smash hit 18 month run at the Lyttelton Theatre and the Morris A Mechanic theatre in Baltimore, Graeme was privileged to join Anthony Tuckeys prestigious repertory company at the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich where he continued to refine and learn his craft as an actor as one of the last generation to benefit from and experience the world famous British Repertory Theatre system. His roles at this time included:'Fag' in 'The Rivals' (Sheriden), 'Nephew' in 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' (Brecht),'Jerry' in 'Zoo Story' (Albee), 'Marquess of Dorset' in 'Richard III' and 'Claudio' in 'Much Ado About Nothing' (William Shakespeare), 'Philip' in 'You Never Can Tell' (Shaw) 'Envy' in 'Dr Faustus' (Marlowe) and 'The Soldier' in 'La Ronde'(Schnitzler).
In 1984 Graeme was in the original line-up of David Merricks smash Broadway hit '42nd St' at Drury Lane. He started as a featured dancer and understudy to 'Billy Lawlor' and three years later won the role playing opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones. In the meantime he returned to the National Theatre to play 'Cis Farringdon' in Michael Rudman's critically acclaimed revival of 'The Magistrate' starring Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Gemma Craven and Ken Stott.
After his second stint at the National and his return to Drury Lane Graeme continued to work as a performer in some of the UK's most prestigious theatres. He was an integrel member of Michael Rudman's stellar company at the Chichester Festival Theatre playing 'Selwyn' and understudying Alan Howard in 'The Silver King' and playing 'The Tin Man' in 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Officer Collins' in Neil Simon's 'Rumours'- which later completed a highly successful UK tour - alongside Simon Ward and Una Stubbs. From there he went on to seasons at Sam Walters Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond playing the tap-dancing 'Kenny' in 'Flora The Red Menace' and 'Mike' in 'The Rink' and also to work with the iconic Polish theatre director Helena Kaut-Howsen at the West Yorkshire Playhouse playing leading roles such as 'Bennet' in 'Another Country' and 'Angel Clare' in 'Tess of the D'Urbevilles' in a new adaptation by Fay Weldon.
In 1991 Graeme choreographed and starred in 'A Drop of Fred' which he co-wrote with Robert Butler who also directed and which took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm winning The Indepenent Theatre Award and a Daily Express Theatre award and receiving rave reviews and an option for a film treatment by Granada Television. (see Production)
At this time Graeme was also starting to choreograph as well as appear in pantos and cruise ship entertainments for Jeff Clarke at Opera Della Luna. He also managed to squeeze in an appearance at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre as 'The Scarecrow' in 'The Wizard of Oz'!
His talent for choreography was further encouraged when he put together a three man tap act with Charlie Burnell and Stephen Thiebault for the world premier of David King's now world famous 'Spirit of the Dance'. This led to a light-hearted cabaret act with Burnell called 'Two Guys With Nothing Better To Do' and also allowed him to use his jazz piano skills and native Liverpool accent!
A stint at Perth Repertory for Michal Winter in 'Tonight at 8.30' playing 'Stevens' in 'Ways and Means' and 'George Pepper' in 'Red Peppers' was followed by a return visit to the Wolsey in Ipswich to play the leading role of 'Hugo Carmardy' in 'Summer Lightening' by P G Wodehouse, directed by Anthony Tuckey.
Graeme had by this time choreographed 'No No Nanette' at the Guildford School of Acting, the revival of 'Flora The Red Menace' at the Orange Tree Richmond, 'Aint We Got Fun' with Barbara King at a charity gala at the Prince of Wales theatre and 'Crazy Rhythm' for Aspects of Dance at the Hackney Empire. He was also a regular on the jazz tap lecture circuit holding regular workshops for the IDTA, ADA and BATD dance societies.
In 2000 he performed and choreographed 'Tapestry' at the Edinburgh Fringe - a one-man show co-written and directed by Andrew Blackie and produced by Andrew Blackie and Ray Primett for Artisanda Ltd. This was a highly successful venture and played to record-breaking audiences. (see Production)
From there Graeme fulfilled a life-long ambition to go to New York to study jazz-tap with the masters. He spent several months in New York training with the likes of Roxane Butterfly, Charles Goddertz, Phil Black Barbara Duffy and Ted Levy and made several appearances at the famous Swing 46 improvisation club with Buster Brown.
This inspired him to return to the UK and start GHTAP with his business associate and creative partner Andrew Blackie with the remit to 'further the wonderful art of tap dance in all its forms and to push the boundaries of this exhilarating dance form'. To this end they have conceived 'Artie, Gwen and Lance' - an update of the 'Camelot' story set in Chicago in the 1930's and told entirely through tap dance. There has already been one very successful workshop of this exciting and innovative piece at the Hampstead Theatre and the show is due to go into pre-production shortly (see Production).
Graeme has taught advanced American rhythm tap at Laine Theatre Arts, Bird College and Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama and has guested at most of the top London colleges. He has won two coveted Carl Alan Awards in recognition of his services to dance and was recently nominated for a third in the same category as Deborah Bull and Darcy Bussell. He regularly lectures and adjudicates for all the major dance societies and is very proud to be an honorary member of the IDTA , BATD and the ADA dance organisations.
