Bob Fosse "RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD DANCER" three act Dancin' program, 1978
Bob Fosse as interviewed by Kevin Kelly for the Boston Globe, 1978
"I guess I've learned bits and pieces from just about everything I've done. But, still I'm not kidding when I say I have periodic bouts of fear about what I'm doing. I deal with. I come out OK.
Right now, in the middle of Dancin', the fear's minimal. One of the reasons is that it's not a big Broadway musical in the financial sense. It's relatively simple, not a million dollar zinger. It's a big modest Broadway musical, emphasis on modest. It's a bit easier to work without all that heavy financial pressure. The show's in three acts, with simple but effective scenery. The three acts are not just for innovation. The cast is made up of 18 very hardworking dancers and they need the intermissions to recoup. There's no book, just a series of dance pieces some telling a story, some existing for themselves."
Dancin' 1978 souvenir performance program having front cover illustration art by Bob Gill
Dancin’ opened on March 27, 1978 running four years for a total of 1774 performances at two different Broadway Theatres. Broadhurst Theatre, (3/27/1978-11/29/1980) Ambassador Theatre, (11/30/1980 – 6/27/1982)
PLAYBILL
BROADHURST THEATRE
Dancin'
1978 front original cast program cover
Dancin'
A New Musical Entertainment
Directed and Choreographed by BOB FOSSE
ACT I
OPENING
"PROLOGUE (HOT AUGUST NIGHT)" Words and Music by Neil Diamond
"CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE" Words and Music by Neil Diamond
RECOLLECTIONS OF AN OLD DANCER
"MR. BOJANGLES" by Jerry Walker
THE DREAM BARRE
"CHACONNE" by Johann Sebastian Bach
PERCUSSION
"IONISATION" by Edgard Varèse
ACT II
DANCIN' MAN
"I WANNA BE A DANCIN' MAN" by Johnny Mercer & Harry Warren
THREE IN ONE
"BIG NOISE FROM WINETTKA" by Bob Haggart, Ray Bauduc, Gil Rodin & Bob Crosby
JOINT ENDEVOR
"IF IT FEELS GOOD, LET IT RIDE" by Coral Bayer Sager & Melissa Manchester
"EASY" by Coral Bayer Sager and Melissa Manchester
A MANIC DEPRESSIVE'S LAMENT
"I'VE GOT THEM FEELIN' TOO GOOD TODAY BLUES" by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
FOURTEEN FEET
"WAS DOG A DOUGHNUT" by Cat Stevens
ACT III
BENNY'S NUMBER
"SING, SING, SING" by Louis Prima
THE FEMALE STAR SPOT
"HERE YOU COME AGAIN" by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
AMERICA
"YANKEE DOODLE DANDY" by George M. Cohan
"GARY OWEN" by Gail Benedict
"STOUT HEARTED MEN" Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Music by Sigmund Romberg
"UNDER The DOUBLE EAGLE"
"DIXIE"
"WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME?
"RALLY ROUND THE FLAG"
"PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES IN YOUR OLD KIT BAG AND SMILE SMILE SMILE" Words by George Asaf, Music by Felix Powell
"THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER" Music by John Philip Sousa
"YANKEE DOODLE DISCO"
IMPROVISATION
"DANCIN'" by Ralph Burns
Notice the highlight of Act three's opening musical dance act titled BENNY'S NUMBER "SING, SING, SING" by Louis Prima is dedicated or "For Gwen" Verdon and "Jack" Cole saying "The latter would have hated it."
Bob Fosse Dancin’ rehearsals, 1978