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Press for Josephine Tonight: Review from DC Theatre Scene, 2/7/12 The Washingtonian After Hours Blog |
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Mr. Hines pursued a solo career and success soon followed when he was chosen to star as Nathan Detroit in the National Touring Company of GUYS AND DOLLS. After his thrilling performance, Broadway beckoned, and Mr. Hines created a sensation during the 1978-79 season with his singing and dancing in the hit musical EUBIE! He followed this performance with celebrated roles co-starring in BRING BACK BIRDIE with Chita Rivera and Donald O'Connor and starring in SOPHISTICATED LADIES. Next, Mr. Hines made his big screen debut in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club." As the film hit theaters across the country, so did Ballet USA, a dance company created by Mr. Hines and Mercedes Ellington. Mr. Hines then conceived, directed, and choreographed the musical UPTOWN…IT'S HOT! which played for 17 sold-out weeks in Atlantic City. He joined the cast when the show moved to Broadway and received a 1986 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical. He followed this achievement by co-directing and choreographing the National Tour of the musical SATCHMO produced by Kenneth Feld. As one of the few stars who truly loves the road, Mr. Hines then directed, choreographed and starred in the National Tour of the musical HARLEM SUITE with successive leading ladies Jennifer Holiday, Stephanie Mills and Melba Moore. Internationally, Mr. Hines has had the pleasure of directing and choreographing the musicals HAVANA NIGHT in Cuba and an all Latin version of THE RED SHOES in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has also created BROADWAY SOUL JAM, inaugurating an entertainment complex in Holland. Following these successful stage runs, Mr. Hines turned his attention to direction and choreographing music videos, including I'LL BE GOOD TO YOU, the first release off of Quincy Jones' BACK ON THE BLOCK album. Mr. Hines has directed THE RADIO CITY SPECTACULAR (the first African-American director for Radio City Music Hall). In the 1994-1995 season, Mr. Hines starred as Jelly Roll Morton in the forty city first-class National Tour of the musical JELLY'S LAST JAM. He recently returned to the role of Nathan Detroit in the first-class National Tour of GUYS AND DOLLS. In 2006, Mr. Hines, collaborating with Maurice White, choreographed and directed the Hip-Hop Broadway musical HOT FEET featuring the music of Earth, Wind, and Fire. Mr. Hines is currently preparing a one-man show entitled MAURICE HINES, COM’IN HOME as well as doing a national tour of the Broadway musical BLUES IN THE NIGHT, for which he won the 2007 San Francisco Bay Area Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Mr. Hines’s latest album on Arbor Records, TO NAT “KING” COLE, WITH LOVE, was released to critical acclaim. Mr. Hines will be choreographing a production of HAIRSPRAY in Santo Domingo later this year as well as new show called DANCE, DANCE, DANCE SNAP. Along with his other projects, Mr. Hines has just been named artistic director of the New Lincoln Theatre in Columbus, Ohio where he will be developing new projects over the next six years.
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Star of stage, screen, and television, Maurice Hines commenced his acclaimed career at the age of five, studying tap at the Henry LeTang Dance Studio in New York City. Mr. LeTang recognized his extraordinary talents and was soon choreographing numbers specifically for Maurice and his brother. Soon the brothers were appearing on Broadway and touring as the opening act for such headliners as Lionel Hampton and Gypsy Rose Lee. Their father then joined the act and shortly thereafter, "Hines, Hines, & Dad" was performing to rave reviews in New York, Las Vegas and Europe. The group also appeared on many television shows including THE PEARL BAILEY SHOW, HOLLYWOOD PALACE, and made 35 appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson.