1986-2014 Cerullo's first major role was in the US National III tour of the Broadway musical
Cats as
Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, which ran from September 1986 to August 1988. He was Big Daddy in the West Coast production of
Sweet Charity starring TONY award winner,
Donna McKechnie. Appeared at the
Goodspeed Opera House,
North Shore Music Theatre, the
Ogunquit Playhouse and The Cape Playhouse. He was a voting member of the
Lucille Lortel Award for Off-Broadway productions, is a member of the
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, the
Dramatist Guild and the
Actors' Equity Association. He made his Broadway debut in 1984, as a Production Assistant on the musical,
The Three Musketeers directed and choreographed by TONY award-winning director,
Joe Layton, also on Broadway, as a performer, Cerullo was a featured dancer in the 1988 Broadway musical
Legs Diamond, starring
Peter Allen, and was also featured on the BMG-RCA Original Cast Recording for the musical. In 1992 he was the Dance Captain for
Circle in the Square's Broadway production of
Anna Karenina. and the Broadway musical, Band In Berlin based on the lives of the
Comedian Harmonists. Cerullo worked with the late
Frank Gorshin on the Broadway production of, "Say Goodnight Gracie", by
Rupert Holmes at the
Helen Hayes Theatre as his dance instructor and created the soft shoe routine for Gorshin as
George Burns. In 1992 in Los Angeles Cerullo worked with and taught
Uta Hagen, on what was to be her last stage performance for the "Six Dance Lesson in Six Weeks", by
Richard Alfieri at the
Geffen Playhouse,
David Hyde Pierce was her co-star, and the production was choreographed by Kay Cole. He later interviewed Kay Cole for TheaterMania. After working with him on the Broadway musical,
Anna Karenina, choreographer and director
Patricia Birch began mentoring Cerullo. Through this partnership, Cerullo was hired as Associate Choreograph for Birch on the
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) series
Great Performances for
This Is The Moment, starring
Donny Osmond and
Vanessa Williams, ''and
Natalie Cole's Untraditional Traditional Christmas Special.
Cerullo was also the Assistant Choreographer to Patrica on the films The First Wives Club, starring Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn and The Cowboy Way'' starring
Woody Harrelson. Cerullo also worked with Pat Birch on the
St. Ann's Warehouse production of Band in Berlin as the Assistant Director and Choreographer. Cerullo directed the original musical ''Fools' Paradise
, by Jim Camacho. At Lincoln Center, he choreographed the productions of Picturesque
and Carnevale!'' for the
Big Apple Circus. and received a
Village Voice 2003 Voice Choices Best Dance Pick. His work for the production was detailed in Backstage, Theatre Artists Take on Challenges of the Circus, by Simi Horwitz. In 2003, Cerullo choreographed
Orpheus Descending for Great Performances Evening At Pops with the
Boston Pops conducted by maestro,
Keith Lockhart. He was Special Effects Movement Consultant to Bette Midler on the film "The Stepford Wives" in 2004. He also conceived directed and produced the video tribute to
Mr. George Abbott for the "Mr. Abbott Award" for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre presented annually by the Stage Director and Choreographers Society. Cerullo received the Newhouse Scholarship from Career Transition for Dancers to form his production company called JSCTheatricals, LLC. In October 2013 he made his debut as Producer under his newly formed company for the Grand Central Terminal's Centennial Celebration presentation of
Orphan Train, The Musical directed by Patricia Birch.
2015-present Cerullo directed the world premiere of
Windywoo and Her Naughty Naughty Pets a new musical for children of all ages, for the 2015 NY Musical Festival. Cerullo directed
Fictitious, a new musical by Paul Cozby and Tom Hyndman, for the Theatre Now New York SOUND BITES 3.0 annual 10-minute musical festival, for which he received the award for Best Director. In 2016, he directed the NYC premiere of
RISE, written and performed by Scott Barry at the
Museum of Sex. Cerullo also had the honor of working on the 30th anniversary of the Easter Bonnet Competition at the Minskoff Theater by conceiving, directing and choreographing the Bucket Brigade Tribute. In 2016, for the
New York Musical Festival, Cerullo choreographed the production of
Lisa and Leonardo written by Donya Lane and Ed McNamee. Cerullo was interviewed by Bob Rizzo for BroadwayWorld.com, Also in 2016 Cerullo directed the NY premiere of CHANCE, the musical written by Richard Isen for the
Fresh Fruit Festival. His received positive reviews for his work in OUTERSTAGE. Finally in 2016 he directed and staged the NY Premiere of The Fifth Dentist In Search Of Sid's Treasure A Tribute to the Sultan Of Striptease at the
NY International Fringe Festival. Cerullo was quoted in
The New York Times about his involvement with this production. He also produced
Conrack, The Musical based on
Pat Conroy's the "
Water is Wide", featuring Tony Award nominees
Vivian Reed and
Ernestine Jackson and Drama Desk nominee A.J. Shively at
York Theatre Company Development Reading Series By Granville Burgess and music By Emmy Award-winning composer
Doug Katsaros directed by Stuart Ross. Cerullo is preparing
Willie & Me , The Emmett Kelly Story. This was written by Cerullo and Stephen Woodburn. Cerullo is the producer and director of the Broadway musical
Legs Diamond at
Feinstein's 54 Below with original cast members, two-time Tony Award nominee
Christine Andreas, Tony Award nominee Brenda Braxton, and two-time Tony nominee
Bob Stillman and Randall Edwards. He directed and choreographed an all-male version of
Rodgers and Hart musical comedy,
The Boys From Syracuse for Musicals Tonight! Off-Broadway at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row. John Soltes Interview Rediscovering Rodgers and Hart's "". Jonathan staged
Amas Musical Theatre's No Foolin' A Musical Confection. Honoring Tony Award winner, Grammy Award winner,
Micki Grant Hosted by
Brad Oscar. Bob Ost, executive director, president, and co-founder of Theatre Resources Unlimited TRU, hired Cerullo to direct their 2018 TRU LOVE benefit honoring John Chatterton,
Baayork Lee, and her
National Asian Artists Project. The event featured Tony Award winners
Priscilla Lopez,
Donna McKechnie, and Brenda Braxton. Amas Musical Theatre hired Jonathan to write and direct Amas@50 Anniversary Concert. Honorary Chair ~
Whoopi Goldberg, Hosted by
Lillias White and featuring
Leslie Uggams, Vivian Reed,
Christopher Jackson actor, Lance Roberts,
Len Cariou, N'Kenge,
Soara-Joye Ross, Elijah Ahmad Lewis and a Special video appearance by
Petula Clark. The gala is honoring
Harry Belafonte, Sharleen Cooper Cohen, Donna Trinkoff, and Shelly Berger manager of
The Temptations. In 2019 he was made an Artistic Associate at Amas Music Theatre. He produced the
James Parks Morton Interfaith Award honoring
Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Bishop Curry in 2019. The event was hosted by
Mo Rocca. 2020 Cerullo directed Jen Chapin's
Essential Stories. Jen Chapin is the daughter of the late singer-songwriter
Harry Chapin. He also conceived, produced, and directed With Love, Now and Forever! CATSCOVIDRELIEF for
Broadway Cares COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund for
Actors Fund of America. After 34 years the third National Touring Company of
Cats (musical) reunited for this special event hosted by Broadway and TV star
Brian Stokes Mitchell and Tom Viola. He also appears on
Stars in the House as well as Broadway Network Podcast Cerullo, in 2021, made his Los Angeles directorial debut at the award-winning theatre,
The Blank Theatre with Scott Barry's Hard On Love starring Los Angeles Drama Critics Award-winner
Rob Nagle and from
RuPaul's Drag Race Brita Filter aka Jesse Havea. Cerullo wrote the script for Amas Musical Theatre's 2021 gala AMAS YOU LOVE, a Heart to Heart Celebration. Directed by Maria Torres, hosted by Justina Machado, and receiving the 2021 Rosie Award was Tony Award-winner Lillias White. In May he wrote the tribute segment to
Sheryl Lee Ralph recipient of
Amas Musical Theatre's Rosie Award presented to her by
Brian Stokes Mitchell In December of 2023, Cerullo, an original cast member, directed for the
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at
Lincoln Center of Legs Diamond, the musical, in Concert & Conversation starring original cast members,
Brenda Braxton,
Bob Stillman,
Christine Andreas and
Randall Edwards. The musical was written by
Peter Allen,
Charles Suppon and
Harvey Fierstein. The evening was moderated and hosted by
Broadway World's Richard Ridge. Amas Musical Theater's 55-year Benefit Gala honoring Patricia Birch and Len Cariou was directed and staged by Cerullo, featuring
Lorna Luft,
Liz Callaway,
Hugh Panaro, and
Lee Roy Reams. In 2025, he directed and choreographed the NY Off-Broadway premiere of
Mr Puppy, The Musical, based on the popular brand of the same name. Music and lyrics were composed by Grammy-nominated composer David Tolley. == Awards and nominations ==