Thomas Kail is an American theatre director, known for directing the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, garnering the 2016 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for the latter. Kail was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018.
Kail was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and raised in Washington, D.C. He attended Sidwell Friends School and Wesleyan University, where he majored in theater. After graduating from Wesleyan, Kail moved to New York City to pursue a career in directing.
In 2008, Kail directed the world premiere of In the Heights at the Public Theater in New York City. The show was a critical and commercial success, and it transferred to Broadway in 2008. Kail was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his work on In the Heights.
In 2015, Kail directed the world premiere of Hamilton at the Public Theater. The show was an instant smash hit, and it transferred to Broadway in 2015. Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical for Kail.
Kail has also directed other Broadway shows, including Lombardi (2010), Magic/Bird (2011), and Freestyle Love Supreme (2019). He has also directed a number of Off-Broadway shows, including Broke-ology (2010) and When I Come to Die (2011).
In addition to his work in theater, Kail has also directed for television and film. He directed the live television productions of Grease! Live (2016) and Hairspray Live! (2018). He also directed the feature film Fosse/Verdon (2019).