By Barbara McGuire
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Thirteen years after his death, award winning choreographer Bob
Fosse has magically made waves on the Broadway scene once
again.
Director Richard Maltby Jr. and Ann Reinking are bringing the
style and spirit of Fosse to the stage ““ right down to his
trademark hats and toe moves. The two are combining his various
works from television to Broadway productions into a show simply
titled, “Fosse.”
Running through July 9 at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles,
the current company has been performing “Fosse” since
September 1999 when they started the tour in Chicago.
Headlining the show is the multi-talented Reva Rice with her
domineering stage presence and deep voice. Though the show consists
of various scenes from Fosse’s wide pallet of work, each is
seamlessly tied together in an overall connected show. Greats such
as “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “Dancin’
Man” are included in the show, and though each has a
completely different element to it, they make sense together.
The night is, after all, a celebration of the choreographing
wonder, Fosse, who is the first director in history to have won the
Oscar, Tony and Emmy award in a single year for his film version of
“Cabaret,” his Broadway musical “Pippin”
and his television special “Liza with a Z.”
Fosse’s credits don’t rest here, though. He was the
recipient of nine Tony Awards, as well as numerous other Emmys and
Oscars, for his various musical shows, in addition to his work on
television and film. Fosse demonstrated his talents through acting
and directing as much as he did through choreography.
Although the two-hour long show does not fully acknowledge all
of Fosse’s talent, it does give viewers a good taste of it.
The opening number, “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries,”
sets the upbeat mood of the show and the dancers, ranging from
classical/modern trained to Broadway gypsies, truly seem to enjoy
the performance.
One of the numbers “Big Spender,” features only
women dancers in loudly styled and colored outfits comically
attempting to entice a man to be a “big spender.” This
piece demonstrates the true talent of those on stage. Those
involved with “Fosse” are not just dancers, but singers
as well as actors. With each scene they are required to take on new
roles, from a prostitute to a flapper, which is in no way an easy
task. Especially notable is the performance by Terace Jones, whose
solo combines break-dance type moves with the grace of ballet.
The concluding number, “Sing, Sing, Sing” from
“Dancin’,” no doubt leaves the crowd aching for
more of Fosse’s remarkable style. A traditional style jazz
quintet complete with drums, a piano, a trumpet, a clarinet and a
trombone is brought out for this conclusion. All the dancers take
the stage demonstrating both standard swing moves as well as some
new moved the swing era has never seen before.
The finale is a much needed pick-me-up after slower numbers like
“Mr. Bojangles” which is an intimate number sung by
Matt Loehr and featuring two dancers, Cassel Miles and Terace
Jones. With the final piece the dancers were having fun with the
moves, letting loose and creating them as they went, while at the
same time, moving in sync.
This is the scene where the dancers finally take off their hats,
both literally and figuratively. As one of Fosse’s signature
pieces, in almost all scenes the dancers don some type of head
decoration, ranging from cowboy hats to ’50s style feathers,
but for this last, well-done, scene, the hats come off.
The truth of Fosse’s talent is demonstrated through the
wonderful reception that “Fosse” has received across
the United States. The fact that his work and creative talents
remain a potent force in the musical world today is a testament to
the lasting effect his work will have on the dancing community at
large and gives hope to fans for another resurrection.
THEATER: “Fosse” is showing at the Shubert Theatre
in Los Angeles through July 9. Performances are scheduled Tuesday
through Saturday at 8 p.m., and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Seat
prices range from $40-$70. Tickets can be purchased by calling
Telecharge at (800) 447-7400 or online at www.telecharge.com, as well as at
the Shubert Theatre Box Office.