Dancin'
Dancin' | |
---|---|
Music | Various |
Lyrics | Various |
Productions | 1978 Broadway 2023 Broadway |
Dancin' is a musical
The show received its first-ever Broadway revival in 2023, under the helm of original cast member Wayne Cilento.
Concept and Development
In summer 1977, with the development of his film
Instead, Fosse's concept for this new show was to use classical and show music,
Fosse started working on the show in August 1977; intimidated by the idea of having to choreograph two hours worth of material, he asked dancer and choreographer Graciela Daniele to contribute a few numbers to the show, but she declined, saying: "When you are out of ideas, call me. I have the feeling that once you get into it, you're going to want to do it all." He didn't call, eventually devising choreography for the entire show, except for the finale, "Yankee Doodle Disco", which was choreographed by cast member Christopher Chadman.[4] That month, Variety reported that Fosse's all new dance revue would be called Dancers– the title eventually changed to Dancin', with the subtitle "A New Musical Entertainment". For his cast, Fosse saw over 1,000 dancers during auditions, settling on 16, including his muse, Ann Reinking; Charles Ward, a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre; Edward Love, who had danced with Alvin Ailey; Fosse stalwarts Christopher Chadman, John Mineo, and Richard Korthaze; and new members of the Fosse family like Wayne Cilento.[5]
Three months of rehearsal (instead of the usual eight weeks) began at the end of 1977: on the first day, Fosse told the assembled cast: "This is a show about dancing. You have to love to dance, or you should not be in this show. If you do not love it, get out, please. It's going to be hard work for the next three months. You're going to be exhausted, but that's what this show is about."[6]
Despite the lack of creative partners, Fosse still had to negotiate with his co-producer Bernard Jacobs, the president of The Shubert Organization. While the show was out of town in Boston, Jacobs objected to the old-fashioned, literal minded Broadway-style ballet "Big City Mime", which depicted a tourist in Time Square coming in contact with prostitutes, massage parlors, and dance halls.[3] Jacobs also objected to "The Dream Barre", another more risqué number featuring Ann Reinking and Charles Ward. Fosse bowed to Jacobs on "Big City Mime", cutting the number, but stood his ground on "The Dream Barre", which would remain in the show until being cut years later on tour. The rest of the show's numbers impressed audiences, and because Fosse co-produced the show, it became his biggest financial success in the theatre.[7][8]
Original Broadway production
Following its out of town tryout in Boston, Dancin' opened on Broadway at the
Dancin' was nominated for seven and won two
Dancin' received two national tours, the first from April 16, 1979 to May 18, 1980, and the second from July 29, 1980 to October 9, 1983.[11] Dancin' also ran for a limited season in 1983 at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in Westminster, London. Previews began on November 11, 1983, with the official opening on 14 November 1983, and closing on 28 January 1984. The revue was once again directed by Fosse.[12] At the time of his death in 1987, Fosse was said to be working on Dancin' Too, his proposed followup to Dancin'.[9]
Following Broadway, national tours, and London, the show was not performed or revived because the choreography is so demanding.[7] However, several numbers from Dancin' were recreated for the 1999 dance review Fosse, including: "Crunchy Granola Suite", "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man", "Percussion V", "Mr. Bojangles", and "Sing Sing Sing".[13] A revival of Dancin' was scheduled to be produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54 for 2009, but it was postponed until the 2009–10 season, and then postponed indefinitely.[14]
2023 Broadway revival
It was announced on November 11, 2022, that a revival of the show, styled as Bob Fosse's Dancin' and directed by original cast member Wayne Cilento and produced by Joey Parnes by special arrangement with Nicole Fosse, would play at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, with opening night on March 19, 2023.[15]
The new staging played a pre-Broadway try-out run at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in the summer of 2022, and featured new material, including songs from Fosse's final Broadway musical Big Deal (1986) and restoration of the "Big City Mime" sequence that had been cut from the original production out of town in Boston.
The new production also makes a nod to the film universe of Fosse, with a set design featuring scaffolding reminiscent of his film All That Jazz, and the inclusion of short dances from Fosse's early career in Hollywood, like "From This Moment On" from the film of Kiss Me, Kate (Fosse's first on-film choreography), and the "Alley Dance" from the film My Sister Eileen (originally danced by Fosse himself).
In May 2023, it was announced that the production would close on May 14, 2023 due to declining sales and being completely shut out of the 2023 Tony Awards.[16]
Song list
Original 1978 Broadway Production
Act 1Opening
Recollections of an Old Dancer
The Dream Barre
Percussion
Act 2Dancin' Man
Three In One
Joint Endeavor
A Manic Depressive's Lament
Fourteen Feet
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Act 3Benny's Number
The Female Star Spot
America
Improvisation
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2023 Broadway Revival
Act 1Opening
Recollections of an Old Dancer
Percussion
Three In One
Big City Mime
Dancin' Man |
Act 2Benny's Number
The Female Star Spot
Romantic Fantasy Joint Endeavors
America
No Good Reason At All Intro to Big Deal Big Deal
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Broadway cast members
1978 original Broadway cast
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2023 Broadway revival cast
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Critical reception
In his The New York Times review, Richard Eder writes the show is designed to be a musical show — there is no story line. He states that Ann Reinking is clearly the star and she is at her best in the high point of the evening, "Benny's Number", which recreates Benny Goodman and his band using "Sing, Sing, Sing". He also mentions several other dances, such as "Dancin' Man", with the entire cast dressed in "ice-cream" suits and lavender shirts; and "Fourteen Feet", where the shoes are nailed to the floor, and the dancers proceed to move within those confines. He sums up by writing "precision and style mark the evening at its best", but they serve very little.[17]
Clive Barnes, newly moved to the New York Post, told Fosse that he thought the show was "tremendous" and "fantastic".[8]
The 2022 pre-Broadway production was praised in The San Diego Union-Tribune, which called it "a spectacular production of sight and sound. And most of all, dancin'."[18] On March 19, 2023, an overall favorable review of the revived musical was reported in The New York Times stating (in alignment with Fosse's dance style), that in this newly updated musical, "A wiggle is worth a thousand words".[19]
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Tony Award
|
Best Musical | Nominated | |
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
|
Wayne Cilento | Nominated | ||
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
|
Ann Reinking | Nominated | ||
Best Direction of a Musical | Bob Fosse | Nominated | ||
Best Choreography | Won | |||
Best Costume Design | Willa Kim | Nominated | ||
Best Lighting Design | Jules Fisher | Won | ||
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Charles Ward | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Choreography | Bob Fosse | Won | ||
Outstanding Lighting Design | Jules Fisher | Won |
2023 Broadway revival
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Drama Desk Awards[20] | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical | David Grill | Nominated |
Drama League Awards[21] | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated | ||
Chita Rivera Awards[22] | Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show | Peter John Chursin | Nominated | |
Dylis Croman | Nominated | |||
Jacob Guzman | Nominated | |||
Kolton Krouse | Nominated | |||
Mattie Love | Won | |||
Khori Michelle Petinaud | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show | Won |
References
- ISBN 0-312-03414-8.
- ^ ISBN 0-312-03414-8.
- ^ a b "Fosse, 'Dancin'" PBS.org
- ^ ISBN 0-306-80837-4
- ISBN 0-306-80837-4.
- ISBN 9780199336807.
- ^ a b Kenrick, John."History of The Musical Stage, 1970s II: Concept Musicals, Fosse" musicals101.com
- ^ a b Gottfried, p. 366
- ^ ISBN 0-312-03414-8.
- ISBN 978-1-933348-14-8.
- ^ Dancin' Internet Broadway Database
- ^ "UK London Theatre Royal Drury Lane" theatrecrafts.com, accessed September 7, 2019
- ^ Fosse Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (August 30, 2011). "Mr. No Jangles: Dancin' Will Not Step Into Broadway's Studio 54". Playbill. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ Evans, Greg (2022-11-10). "'Bob Fosse's Dancin' Returns To Broadway This Spring". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
- ^ Cullwell-Block, Logan (May 2, 2023). "Bob Fosse's Dancin' Announces Closing Date on Broadway".
- ^ Eder, Richard (March 28, 1978). "'Dancin',' Fosses's Musical, Opens at the Broadhurst". The New York Times. p. 48. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
- ^ Coddon, David (April 29, 2022). "Glorious dancin' front and center in 'Bob Fosse's Dancin'' at the Old Globe". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Green, Jesse (March 19, 2023). "Review: In Fosse's 'Dancin',' a Wiggle Is Worth a Thousand Words - A revival of the 1978 dancical has been substantially revamped to argue for Bob Fosse's pure dance cred. It's a joy anyway. b". The New York Times. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
- ^ Rosky, Nicole. "SHUCKED, SOME LIKE IT HOT Lead Nominations for 2023 Drama Desk Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
- ^ Eckmann, Sam (2023-05-20). "2023 Drama League Awards winners: Annaleigh Ashford ('Sweeney Todd') takes Distinguished Performance". GoldDerby. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
- ^ "A Beautiful Noise Wins Big at 2023 Chita Rivera Awards". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2023-05-24.