‘Fosse’ a celebration in song and dance

By Elizabeth Butler
Photo Editor

Fosse, the 1999 Tony Award- winning smash hit musical that highlights the work of the legendary dancer, choreographer and director Bob Fosse, is coming to the GPAC Wednesday, April 7 at 8 p.m.

A celebration in song and dance, Fosse recreates some of the most memorable moments in the career of legendary showman Fosse—the first director ever to win the Oscar, Tony and Emmy Awards all in a single year.

Fosse’s style revolutionized the musical theatre with the Broadway hit, Fosse, which won 9 Tony Awards.

In a 30-year career, he created a dozen of the biggest Broadway hits like, The Pajama Game, Bells are Ringing, Redhead, Little Me, Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin’, Damn Yankees, New Girl in Town and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. His film work includes Sweet Charity, Lenny and the autobiographical All That Jazz. Bob Fosse was a Broadway legend even before he died at age 60.

The results of all these great numbers were not only an eclectic mix of the dancer’s backgrounds and diverse interests, but also a true reflection of Bob Fosse himself.

Fosse, an obsessive, edgy, womanizing romantic who chain-smoked four to six packs of unfiltered Camels a day, exited in the florid style that recalled All That Jazz. In that film, an obsessive choreographer-director wrecked his health. The film ended in his death.

This great musical includes rarely seen dance and musical numbers from the choreographer’s earliest works, as well as many numbers from films and television shows that have never been seen on stage before.

Fosse’s career progressed from the 1954 “Pajama Game” to his first show with Gwen Verdon, Damn Yankees. He created the famously sultry Whatever Lola Wants for his beloved Verdon, who later was his third wife and who knelt beside him as he died.

The only Fosse show to close before it got to Broadway was Pleasures and Palaces, which bombed at the Fisher Theatre in March 1965.

On Dec. 22, 1965, Fosse was back at the Fisher to open his longest-running show, Sweet Charity.

The ticket prices for this musical are $30 for adults and $10 for children and students.