Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
misterchoi
Stand-by Joined: 9/5/04
#0Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:20pm
Hey all. I just finished watching the film "Cabaret."
I hear so much about Bob, and have read a wealth of material on him, and have also seen "All that jazz," but I was wondering if anyone on this board had met, worked with, or encountered the man in any way and had any stories to tell.
Or even if you didn't and have a story to tell.
"Yesterday is done. See the pretty countryside. Merrily we roll along, roll along- catching at dreams."- Merrily we roll along
"The living was the prize, the ending's not the story."- Elegies, a song cycle
Updated On: 1/2/05 at 02:20 PM
Mamie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/26/04
#1re: Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:24pmJust to add my admiration to your post and to suggest you get a copy of "All That Jazz". It's a pretty incredible look at Fosse.
www.thebreastcancersite.com
A click for life.
mamie4 5/14/03
A click for life.
mamie4 5/14/03
#2re: Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:32pm
Did you mean the book "All His Jazz"? Since misterchoi has said that he had already seen "All That Jazz", I assume you were referring to the book.
All His Jazz
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
misterchoi
Stand-by Joined: 9/5/04
#3re: Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:35pmSorry Pab, I edited my post after Mamie said that to include the fact that I had seen the movie. My mistake.
"Yesterday is done. See the pretty countryside. Merrily we roll along, roll along- catching at dreams."- Merrily we roll along
"The living was the prize, the ending's not the story."- Elegies, a song cycle
Mamie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/26/04
#4re: Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:47pmThanks Misterchoi. I remembered seeing "Cabaret" mentioned but not "Jazz". I've had a lot of senior moments lately and I thought this was just another one!
www.thebreastcancersite.com
A click for life.
mamie4 5/14/03
A click for life.
mamie4 5/14/03
#5re: Bob Fosse
Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:08pmI've taken several classes from a student of his who also worked with Ben Vereen...Fosse-style dance is a LOT harder than it looks...but so much fun. It was really interesting to have to consciously throw away half the stuff I know about dance technique and reverse it. He had alot of fun Bob and/or Ben stories...good stuff.
"You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you."
- Maya Angelou
#6Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 5:37pm
My friend & director Margery Beddow was Fosse's AD & danced most of his shows. Gwen taught her her roles. Beddow's book on Fosse is required reading for Fosse fans.
Milla
#7Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 5:43pm
I was an apprentice this past summer at Ann Reinking's Broadway Theatre Project...and while I never got to work with Bob, I studied from several teachers who have worked with him, or danced the style
-Ann Reinking
-Ben Vereen
-Desmond Richardson
-Deb McWaters
-Ken Alan
-Darren Gibson
-Eric Jordan Young
and many others
and i agree with Kimmy...it is So much harder than it looks. the style id VERY meticulous, and everything must be exactly how fosse wanted. or ann would yell. haha
awkward.
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
#8Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:56pmBob who?
BSoBW2: I punched Sondheim in the face after I saw Wicked and said, "Why couldn't you write like that!?"
gherbert
Leading Actor Joined: 11/1/03
#9Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:05pm
Sumofallthings I hope you are kidding and that is what I will assume. 
Okay, a Bob Fosse story (I never worked or met him, but here goes anyway):
I believe it was Wayne Cilento that said that he spoke with Bob after the famous Gower Champion death on the opening night of 42nd Street. Fosse had one comment, "Gower always did me one better. I filmed my death, but Gower had the nerve to do it on opening night."
Fosse was always paranoid, thinking the world was against him. During the tryout of Damn Yankees he secured a room next to Hal Prince so that he could listen to everything that Hal said on the phone. He did the same thing to Cy Feuer during Cabaret.
Cy Feuer describes in his autobiography Bob's power over his women. He says that once Fosse's women fell in love with him they fell for him forever. And that his power was so strong that they forgave him for all the other women, didn't mind being one in a crowd.
I'll think of more.
But someone start a David Merrick thread because I have a wealth of entertaining stories about that old hound!!!!
(Please.)
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#10Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:10pm
Go for it GHerbert.
Very arguably Broadway's greatest, most powerful, and "colorful" producer of the 20th century -- Merrick deserves his own thread on this site.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
gherbert
Leading Actor Joined: 11/1/03
#11Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:11pm
Okay Margo! But only if you join my Merrick party!
gherbert
Leading Actor Joined: 11/1/03
#12Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:12pmOhh! Someone already did. (Thanks SticktoPreist!)
#13Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:14pm
Well, you asked.
What am I if not the board bitch?
Or not.
I dunno.
"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#14Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 8:26pm
Alright.
Priest is officially the Board Bitch.
Everyone else bow down and get the f--- ut of his way......
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
FosseBoi
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/30/04
#15Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 9:46pm
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I can NOT believe no one asked me about it!!!!!(FOSSE)I was born for Fosse. I wish there was a video that I could show yall to prove it. You'll just have to take my word for it.
He is by far, the most AMAZING choreographer there ever was and ever will be.
"I've always secretly longed for an actress to get to the top of the cherry picker and projectile vomit all over the guards below."- Wonderwaiter in the "Defy Gravity?" thread.
~~~~~~~~My dream? Sutton Foster as Cassie in A Chorus Line
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#16Bob Fosse's Broadway by Margery Beddow
Posted: 1/2/05 at 10:18pmThe Gower Champion story is especially funny if you realize that the character in ALL THAT JAZZ played by John Lithgow - the director being courted to replace "Joe" after his heart atack, is based on Gower Champion.
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