Joshua Bergasse

Joshua Bergasse was born on March 6, 1973, and grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan.^[1][2] He attended his mother's dance studio and later taught there. He says he was influenced by Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Hermes Pan, and Michael Kidd.^[3]

At age 22, Bergasse auditioned for the national tour of West Side Story during a vacation in New York City. He was offered the role of Baby John and was a member of the tour for two years. After the tour ended, he stayed in New York to continue working as a dancer.^[2]

In 2012, Bergasse became a choreographer for the TV show Smash for its two-season run. He got the job after the director, Michael Mayer, saw some of Bergasse's work at a New York University benefit.^[1] During the filming of the second season, Bergasse was able to choreograph for both of the hypothetical musicals: Bombshell and Hit List.^[2] In 2012, Bergasse won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for his work on Smash.^[2]

In 2014, Bergasse choreographed the Broadway revival of On the Town. He received an Astaire Award and a Tony Award nomination for Best Choreography.^[3]

Bergasse choreographed the Broadway revival of Gigi in 2015, as well as the Off-Broadway productions of Sweet Charity, Captain Louie, and Cagney.^[3][4] He earned a Drama Desk, an Astaire, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for his choreography in Cagney. His other choreographic credits include West Side Story at the Stratford Festival, Little Me at City Center Encores!, It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman at City Center Encores!, Pirates of Penzance at Barrington Stage Co., Guys and Dolls at Carnegie Hall, and The Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall.^[4]

Bergasse choreographed the Broadway musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2017.^[3]

In 2019, Bergasse directed and choreographed a revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical I Married an Angel for the New York City Encores! series. This production starred his wife, Sara Mearns.^[5]

After serving as choreographer for Smash, the NBC sitcom, Bergasse choreographed the Broadway premiere of the musical production in 2025, which garnered him his second Tony Award nomination for Best Choreography.^[6]

In November 2012, Bergasse met Sara Mearns when she was auditioning for a featured dancing role on Smash. After five years of dating, they got engaged on Valentine's Day.^[7] They were married on November 3, 2018, in Sunset Beach, North Carolina.^[8] They have worked on projects together since their marriage such as Rodgers and Hart's I Married an Angel.^[9][3] They divorced in 2024.[9]