Tom Briggs

Director of The R&H Theatre Library (precursor to R&H Theatricals) for over a dozen years, Tom Briggs (1952-2026) began his love affair with R&H as a youngster in Wisconsin, appearing in productions of Oklahoma!, South Pacific and Carousel. His years as a young adult found him singing and dancing his heart out, opening for such luminaries of the era as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Sonny & Cher, Tom Jones, The Association, The Carpenters, B.J. Thomas and Vikki Carr. He toured with Mike Douglas (including appearances on his talk show and in his Las Vegas act), Tennessee Ernie Ford, Doc Severinsen (including Vegas and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson), Barbara Mandrell, Guy Lombardo, Red Skelton, and such troupes as The Young Americans, The Brothers & Sisters, Today’s Children and The Fresh Collection. After receiving his BFA from the University of Wisconsin, he attended the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, while also being scholarship student with the Pacific Ballet Company.

As a director/choreographer, Tom’s affiliations included The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Chicago Premiere Society, Dorset Theatre Festival, Actors Theatre of Pennsylvania, Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Fulton Opera House, Candlewood Playhouse, National Theater Institute, and as a founding director of the National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped. As the Producing Artistic Director of St. Bart’s Playhouse in NYC, Tom produced over 25 productions, many of which he directed, including an acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s rarely produced musical Allegro. He has served, in various capacities, on the faculties of NYU, Union College and Nicolet College.

As a librettist, he created stage adaptations of State Fair, the last musical produced by the legendary David Merrick (two Tony Award nominations), Irving Berlin’s Easter Parade, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (starring Eartha Kitt and Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and The Kennedy Center’s Broadway: Three Generations, creating concert versions of Girl Crazy, Bye Bye Birdie and Side Show, directed by Lonny Price. Tom also provided script continuity for the Irving Berlin revue The Melody Lingers On, based upon Mary Ellin Barrett’s book Irving Berlin: A Daughter’s Memoir.

After 30 years in NYC, Tom returned to his roots in community theater as the Executive Director of Thalian Association, the State Community Theater of North Carolina, founded in 1788, where he was a seven-time honoree as Outstanding Director for his productions of plays and musicals alike.