Fosse's Big Deal.. What happened?

[Ziegfeld7]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:01am

Just re-visited the Tony Clip.. Outstanding.
Then went over to IBDB and saw it ran for under 100 performances

What was the problem?

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 1:56am

The problem (to paraphrase that section of Ken Mandelbaum's 'Not Since Carrie') was that Fosse had too much control over the show.

Fosse acted as director, choreographer, book writer, and all-around conceiver of BIG DEAL.

As a result, no songwriters were hired to write new material: instead, Fosse compiled the song list with hit songs that, in the end, had almost no connection to the surrounding action. The plot (about a bunch of thugs who try to rob a pawnshop, but give up after burying through the wrong wall) was thin thin thin. Fosse refused to really change the show before coming to Broadway. The usual "bad show" syndromes.

Updated On: 6/10/08 at 01:56 AM

[musicalman2]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 8:00am

The problem was that it was a TERRIBLE show. Shockingly bad. As an aspiring actor/director, I remember learning my first hard theater lesson watching that show . . . that no matter how good you are, you have to keep your eye on the ball and doing good stuff or you will have a flop.

That post brought back a flood of memories, especially being bored out of my skull each time they sang "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries." Seems like they sang it like 100 times . . .

[once a month]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 8:26am

It was a dark and dreadful show! I found it impossible to care for any of the characters, and since I was such a huge fan of Fosse, I was disappointed over having only two big dance numbers (if I recall correctly). The weekend I saw this I was 'celebrating Fosse'. I had just bought my video of the Pippin tour and the Cabaret film, and I'm not sure but around that same time I also caught Debbie Allen in Sweet Charity. There could be no comparison for me between the Big Deal dances, and the classics Big Spender, Rich Mans Frug or even the 'Daddy' number.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/10/08 at 9:51am

Come on, folks!

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=960592#3495260

Talk of BIG DEAL is also on this thread: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=921234#2714711