Gwen Verdon

Biography adapted from FOSSE® Playbill
The Broadhurst Theatre (Opening Night: January 14, 1999)

Gwen Verdon won multiple Tony Awards for her performances in Can-Can, Damn Yankees, New Girl in Town, and Redhead and created the roles of Charity Hope Valentine in Sweet Charity and Roxie Hart in Chicago. Feature films include On the Riviera, David & Bathsheba, Mississippi Gambler, Damn Yankees, Cocoon, Cocoon: The Return, The Cotton Club, Nadine, Marvin’s Room, Alice, Bruno, and Walking Across Egypt. Television credits include Artistic Advisor for “Steam Heat” (the documentary on Bob Fosse) (Emmy Award), “Mash,” “Fame,” “Trapper John, M.D.,” “Webster,” “Magnum, P.I.,” The Equalizer,” “Dream On,” “Dear John,” “Homicide,” and “Legs.” Other accomplishments include a Grammy Award for Redhead, National Endowment for the Arts & Humanities Award under the Clinton administration (1998), Outer Critics Circle Awards and Donaldson Awards. Ms. Verdon guest taught at the Beijing Ballet School in China and for the Houston Ballet Co., with whom she performed. She has performed with the Paul Taylor Dance Co., partnered by Baryshnikov and Nureyev. Until her death in 2000, Ms. Verdon was the Director of the Bob Fosse theatre scholarship program.

Bob Fosse®

Biography adapted from BIG DEAL Playbill
The Broadway Theatre (Opening Night: April 10, 1986)

Bob Fosse® became, in 1973, the first director in history to win the Oscar, Tony, and Emmy awards in a single year for his spectacular triumphs in the film version of Cabaret, the Broadway musical Pippin and the television special “Liza with a Z.” Mr. Fosse® won the first of his eight Tony Awards as choreographer for Pajama Game, followed by such Broadway credits as the direction and choreography of Redhead, Little Me, Sweet Charity (on stage and film), Chicago, and Dancin’. He also created the choreography for Damn Yankees, New Girl in Town and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. During rehearsals for Little Me, Mr. Fosse® withheld his services in support of the SSD&C (now known as the SDC: Stage Directors and Choreographers Society). For the screen he choreographed My Sister Eileen, Pajama Game and Damn Yankees and was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director for Lenny and All That Jazz (which won the Cannes Film Festival), and directed Star 80 for the screen as well. Mr. Fosse’s writing credits include the book for Chicago with Fred Ebb (Tony nomination), the screenplay for All That Jazz with Robert Alan Arthur (Academy Award nomination) and the screenplay for Star 80. Mr. Fosse® directed and choreographed the revival of Sweet Charity starring Debbie Allen, which joined Big Deal on Broadway in April 1986.

How They Met

In the American dance world of the early 1950s, Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse® were aware of each other’s talents even though their professional paths had yet to cross. That all changed in the spring of 1955 with the Broadway production of Damn Yankees.

Celebrated producer Hal Prince and well-known director George Abbott had suggested to newly hired choreographer, Bob Fosse®, the idea of casting Gwen Verdon for the role of Lola. Fosse® was resistant at first, however he agreed to meet with Verdon only if he could spend a day in the studio working with her. Producer Hal Prince remembered getting a call from Bobby that day asking for more time with Gwen…In fact, several days more.

No one knows exactly what transpired over those few days of rehearsal, but the synergy that manifested had a profound impact on the career paths of both these truly unique talents. Not only did Fosse® and Verdon both earn Tony awards for their work in Damn Yankees, but they went on to become the most accomplished creative couple of the American Broadway musical, collaborating together for the next three decades winning a combined 13 Antoinette Perrys (Tonys), 4 Drama Desks, 3 Emmys, 1 Academy, 1 Cannes Film Festival, and 1 Grammy award.