Tony Sheldon
Interviewed by Dorothy Stanley
What inspired you to become a dancer?
My father, Frank Sheldon, was a dancer who danced in the Australian productions of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, CAN CAN, and PAJAMA GAME. I was a child performer and at the age 4 or 5 he sent me off to dance classes. But his reputation was so great that the teachers panicked and tried to teach me EVERYTHING on the first lesson. I came home crying and my father said, "That's it, the kid's not going to dance!" and he forbade me to have dance lessons from that day on.
My father, Frank Sheldon, was a dancer who danced in the Australian productions of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, CAN CAN, and PAJAMA GAME. I was a child performer and at the age 4 or 5 he sent me off to dance classes. But his reputation was so great that the teachers panicked and tried to teach me EVERYTHING on the first lesson. I came home crying and my father said, "That's it, the kid's not going to dance!" and he forbade me to have dance lessons from that day on.
As a result of that experience, I ended up with rudimentary
dancing skills and would learn from the choreographers I was working with
rather than having a true grounding in it. Meanwhile, I drifted into dramatic
acting because my Mother, Toni Lamond ,was a musical theatre star, and my Dad left dancing to
become a television producer. So my career was based in the classics, really.
I was doing Shakespeare, Chehkov, Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, etc., but my heart
was always with " the dance". I just loved it, it was in my genes, and I was
a very good "mover". I was always surrounded by dancers and my friends were
dancers. I really learned to dance by osmosis. And when I was cast in musicals,
I was very lucky to work with the best choreographers who all saw something in
me. They'd take the time to call me in an hour before anybody else and say "try
this step", and I would always be able to figure it out. They wanted to make
sure I was on the same level as everyone else. I just had to work that little
bit harder..
Frank Sheldon, Tikki Taylor & Kevan Johnston in Steam Heat from The Pajama
Game
Who was the most influential person in your
career?
It wasn't a person, actually, it was a show. When I was a kid, I was allowed to sit in on the rehearsals for SWEET CHARITY in Australia (while performing OLIVER in the next theatre). Suddenly, I was exposed to seeing that choreography being rehearsed day in and day out. I had never seen anything like CHARITY -- a complete dance show -- and I learned the choreography to the whole show. I used to take the cast album with me to adult parties, and at some point I would put the album on, have everyone take a seat, and I'd say "this is the new show that hasn't opened yet and I'm going to perform it for you." And I would do all of SWEET CHARITY (as much as I could remember).
It wasn't a person, actually, it was a show. When I was a kid, I was allowed to sit in on the rehearsals for SWEET CHARITY in Australia (while performing OLIVER in the next theatre). Suddenly, I was exposed to seeing that choreography being rehearsed day in and day out. I had never seen anything like CHARITY -- a complete dance show -- and I learned the choreography to the whole show. I used to take the cast album with me to adult parties, and at some point I would put the album on, have everyone take a seat, and I'd say "this is the new show that hasn't opened yet and I'm going to perform it for you." And I would do all of SWEET CHARITY (as much as I could remember).
I can only imagine what it must have looked like -- this 10
year old boy playing all the roles and dancing all over the house. But I thought
I was brilliant. People still talk about it to this day-- "Oh, yes, I was there
when you sang There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, did the
Rich Man's Frug, and played everyone in the show." I think that's what
sent me on the road to my obsession with dance theatre and dancers. As a result
I've ended up writing dance shows, directing cabarets for dancers and
directing dance shows like PAL JOEY.
DAMES AT SEA (Sydney, 1986)
What was the most frightening moment (situation) in your
career?
Probably when I was the Resident Director on FAME (the musical). In Australia we have Resident Directors, similar to the Dance Captains in NY. I was in the show, as well as being the RD. Two days into previews I got a call, at 10 am on a matinee day, saying that the leading lady had broken her ankle. We hadn't had any understudy rehearsals yet, so I had to teach her understudy the entire show between 11 and 1. She went on and was wonderful. The next matinee day, the same thing -- the leading boy is out, and again, "You have to teach him the show." This went on, with all the Principals, over the next three weeks because the choreography was so brutal. It was brilliant, it was flashy, but it was brutal and frankly not designed to be done eight times a week. So by the time I was scheduled to do my first understudy rehearsal everyone had already been on and they'd all been brilliant.
Probably when I was the Resident Director on FAME (the musical). In Australia we have Resident Directors, similar to the Dance Captains in NY. I was in the show, as well as being the RD. Two days into previews I got a call, at 10 am on a matinee day, saying that the leading lady had broken her ankle. We hadn't had any understudy rehearsals yet, so I had to teach her understudy the entire show between 11 and 1. She went on and was wonderful. The next matinee day, the same thing -- the leading boy is out, and again, "You have to teach him the show." This went on, with all the Principals, over the next three weeks because the choreography was so brutal. It was brilliant, it was flashy, but it was brutal and frankly not designed to be done eight times a week. So by the time I was scheduled to do my first understudy rehearsal everyone had already been on and they'd all been brilliant.
That was a trial by fire for me -- truly terrifying because it
could have gone so wrong. Luckily, it all went well. That's my most frightening
experience. The other scary experience was being cast as Dick in DAMES AT SEA
and being the only non-tapper in the show. I was taught the numbers during
rehearsals but I couldn't keep up with the other 5 because they were all so
brilliant. However, I had the key to the rehearsal room and every night at 5
o'clock the cast would leave and I would stay until 9 at night, in front of the
mirror, and teach myself the show so that I would be at their standard by the
next morning. But, by God, by opening night I was tapping along with the rest of
them. Those two instances are pretty much neck and neck as far as "most
frightening experience" is concerned.
What experience or legacy would you like to pass on to
the next generation?
The same as most of us as Dancers over 40 would like to pass on which is the discipline, the joy of dance, and the work ethic. It's hard to teach kids to play 8 shows a week, and to give your all at every performance, but I do think they take notice when they see it in action. I know from doing PRISCILLA and not missing any shows that the kids are impressed. They think I'm crazy but still they're impressed, and I hope it inspires them to do the same -- to set a good example, and give the public what they deserve. That's what I was taught growing up by the folks I idolized in Australia.
The same as most of us as Dancers over 40 would like to pass on which is the discipline, the joy of dance, and the work ethic. It's hard to teach kids to play 8 shows a week, and to give your all at every performance, but I do think they take notice when they see it in action. I know from doing PRISCILLA and not missing any shows that the kids are impressed. They think I'm crazy but still they're impressed, and I hope it inspires them to do the same -- to set a good example, and give the public what they deserve. That's what I was taught growing up by the folks I idolized in Australia.
Tony Sheldon (center) with Rhoe Thornton & Jason Donovan in PRISCILLA (London)
What is the most memorable moment of your
career?
There have been so many memorable performing moments, but I was so proud of an Australian Dance Award nomination for PRISCILLA. I lost to Hugh Jackman for BOY FROM OZ, but the fact that I had been taken seriously by the dance community at my lofty age meant a great deal to me. Probably nobody else, apart from the dance community, was even aware that I had been nominated, but it meant so much to me. It really brought everything full circle with my love for the dance. I was asked to provide a biography for the program, and all I did was make a list of every choreographer I had worked with over the years. It was a very impressive and imposing list so I put them in alphabetical order and said "Tony would like to thank...". That was a treasurable, memorable moment for me.
There have been so many memorable performing moments, but I was so proud of an Australian Dance Award nomination for PRISCILLA. I lost to Hugh Jackman for BOY FROM OZ, but the fact that I had been taken seriously by the dance community at my lofty age meant a great deal to me. Probably nobody else, apart from the dance community, was even aware that I had been nominated, but it meant so much to me. It really brought everything full circle with my love for the dance. I was asked to provide a biography for the program, and all I did was make a list of every choreographer I had worked with over the years. It was a very impressive and imposing list so I put them in alphabetical order and said "Tony would like to thank...". That was a treasurable, memorable moment for me.
What does the future hold for Tony
Sheldon?
Oh, I don't really know, as I'm starting from scratch again in a brand new country. So I just hope to bring all the experience that I have from Australia and can continue to put it into play over here. It's the great unknown. I really don't know at this point but I'm willing to give it a go.
Oh, I don't really know, as I'm starting from scratch again in a brand new country. So I just hope to bring all the experience that I have from Australia and can continue to put it into play over here. It's the great unknown. I really don't know at this point but I'm willing to give it a go.
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