Best Jerome Robbins Bio

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:41pm

Anyone have an opinion on the best Jerome Robbins bio to read? I'm mainly looking for one that places the focus on his work.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 2:36pm

Jerome Robbins: That Broadway Man by Christine Conrad covers his life and work with tons of great archival photos.

Then there are three bios: Deborah Jowitt, Amanda Vaill and Greg Lawrence. I prefer the Debroah Jowitt but they're all flawed.

Do a search for me on the main board and you'll find my story of the time Jerome Robbins spanked me. Hard. ;-}

Updated On: 5/21/08 at 02:36 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:14pm

Here--I found it. I can still feel it!

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re: Jerome Robbins/Succeed in 2005's Broadway?
Posted On: 3/3/05 at 04:56 PM

I was an assistant director on the 1980 Broadway revival of West Side, which Robbins was involved in. Most of the time he ignored me, but one day, on a dare, my friends in the Jets and Sharks persuaded me to take Lee Theodore's dance class before rehearsals. I borrowed a pair of jazz pants and did the barre work, but I couldn't possibly do Lee's floor work, so I remained at the barre practicing what I had learned.

Mr. Robbins (as he was known, never Jerome or Jerry) came in while my back was to him and saw me at the barre. He rolled up his newspaper and swatted me on the ass so hard that it startled everyone. They all heard the noise and stopped and looked. Mr Robbins unfolded his paper and said, "Keep working at it and we'll put you into 'Somewhere.'"

I laughed good-naturedly, but my ass really hurt. When I changed out of my borrowed jazz pants, I saw that there was a welt where he had hit me.
Jerome Robbins/Succeed in 2005's Broadway?