Big Time Broadway Star: Bob Fosse

Director-choreographer Bob Fosse greatly impacted the world in the dance and film industry during his lifetime. Fosse was known to bring vibrant energy, passion, and physically demanding moves to the stage and was quite unlike anything ever before seen. His work on Broadway and on screen won multiple awards. Although he was extremely successful, his work not always appreciated by the audience. Bob Fosse worked hard at his craft and was able to reach his dreams.

Bob Fosse was born in the Chicago, Illinois in 1927. From the start Fosse was always active and unable to sit still. His parents decided to enroll him into dance. He enjoyed exploring upbeat styles like jazz and tap. After only a few years, it was obvious Fosse was a dance prodigy. By the age of fifteen, Fosse was dancing professionally in nightclubs, burlesque shows, and vaudeville. This would impact his choreography and style later on.

From being on stage in Chicago clubs, he was spotted and given the opportunity to be a part of a Broadway chorus. Shortly after, he choreographed and made an appearance in the MGM movie musical Kiss Me Kate (1953). His work attracted the attention of the Broadway choreographer George Abbott. It was a success, but it did not compare to his next project.

Fosse’s first fully choreographed show was “The Pajama Game” in 1954. He partnered with the director Abbott for the show. His signature choreographic elements were seen throughout the show: suggestive forward hip thrust; the hunched shoulders; and the turned-in feet. Also, his famous jazz hand can be spotted. His costumes were often black with white gloves and hats. His trademark use of hats was influence by his own self-consciousness from being bald. Bob Fosse was able to develop his style in “The Pajama Game.” Fosse and Abbott’s show made success overnight! His next musical, “Damn Yankees,” brought Bob Fosse the most awards. He worked with the lovely Gwen Verdon, who became his life-long creative partner and wife. Fosse was able to feed off of Verdon’s positive energy to create a stream of classic dances.

Though Fosse’s work was a popular, Fosse was struggling to find producers and directors who wanted to work with him. They said his work was provocative and wished for him to tone it down. Fosse was tired of trying to please other directors, so he decided to be the director as well as the choreographer. This solution ended up helping Bob Fosse keep control over his own dances.

Bob Fosse became unstoppable and produced multiple award-winning shows. His 1972 film “Cabaret” was his biggest public success and won eight Academy awards for choreography to best director. In the same year, Fosse created the Broadway show “Pippin.” It became the highest earning Broadway show in history, as well as the first Broadway show to be advertised on television.

Fosse then staged two musicals “Chicago” (1975) and “Dancin’” (1978). These were not only significant for his distinct style, but would inspire many other musical theatre productions in the future. During rehearsals for “Chicago,” Fosse suffered a heart attack. He survived and used much of that traumatic experience in 1979 in his semiautobiographical dance film “ALL THAT JAZZ”. It starred Gwen Verdon and Ann Reinking. They would later be responsible for continuing Fosse’s legacy.

Bob Fosse continued to push through his health problems. His worked off set of the film “Star 80” which was controversial amongst the audience. The film was nominated for several awards and screened at the 34th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1986 Fosse directed, wrote, and choreographed the Broadway show called “Big Deal.” It was nominated for five Tony awards and won for best choreography, but the production closed after seventy performances.

Bob Fosse died on Septemeber 23, 1987. In 1999, Verdon carried on his legacy by serving as artistic consultant on a plot less Broadway musical designed to showcase examples of classic Fosse choreography. Called simply Fosse, the three-act musical revue was conceived and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Ann Reinking and choreographed by Reinking and Chet Walker. The show won a Tony for best musical.

Bob Fosse has changed the face of musical theater and even jazz dance. From the beginning, he was a natural performer and choreographer. He booked jobs by the time he was a teenager and five years later he was choreographing. His award-winning choreography was loved among the audience members, but not favored by the directors of the decade beacuse of the sexual appeal. Bob Fosse never let those limitations impede his artistic ambition and ended up becoming a well known choreographer across America.

Citation

"Bob Fosse Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.