| Broadway’s Greatest Female Dancing Star, Gwen Verdon, was born 100 years ago today! | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 12:14 am EST 01/13/25 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:10 am EST 01/13/25 | |
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| Her great shows on Broadway included a legendary star-making opening night in a supporting but show-stealing role as Claudine in “Can-Can”, and she also created the triple-threat roles of Lola in “Damn Yankees”, Anna Christie in “New Girl in Town”, Essie in “Redhead”, Charity Hope Valentine in “Sweet Charity” and Roxie Hart in “Chicago”. Of course, “Damn Yankees”, “Sweet Charity” and “Chicago” are still done a lot, and “Can-Can” is occasionally revived, but “New Girl in Town” is rare and the Best Musical “Redhead” even rarer. “Redhead” is considered exceedingly hard to cast and apparently included a 30-minute ballet sequence in all different styles of dancing. Here’s a clip, considered one of Verdon’s signature numbers, choreographed by husband Bob Fosse from “Redhead”. Unfortunately, Hollywood only let her recreate her Lola in "Damn Yankees", but there are many clips of her as a specialty dancer in film she did in musicals prior to achieving stardom on Broadway and lots of clips of her in variety shows and other acting roles thereafter. I'm sure there are lots of Gwen admirers out there! Her legacy lives on with her daughter, Fosse's and her other muse Jack Cole's choreography which she contributed a lot more to than she took credit for, and to the number of shows which she inspired which are still done. |
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| Link | Erbie Fitch's Twitch - from "Redhead" |
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