“Fosse/Verdon” Dances Into the FX Spotlight

Fosse was seductive in a serial philanderer sort of way but also as an artist amp160No one understood that better than Verdon amp160As wildly talented as Fosse was he relied on her to articulate what was in his brain and transfer it to the stage amp160She was also his ambassador to the world able to smooth the feathers he ruffled Williams portrays Verdon as strategic and wise yet just beneath the cheerful surface a sea of vulnerability roils amp160Itamp8217s a stunning performance destined to garner an Emmy nod amp160And Williams shows off the moves she perfected while playing Sally Bowles in the 2014 Broadway revival of Cabaretamp8220There is a certain aspect of training I did as far back as Marilynamp8221 she told MediaVillage exclusively referring to her Academy Awardnominated lead role as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn amp160amp8220I canamp8217t deny that with Cabaret there were certain aspects of how my body moved differentlyamp8221To dance in Fosseamp8217s style requires far more than a rolled shoulder or a hip thrust amp160He combined modern jazz and tap with burlesquehouse bumps and grinds all wrapped in attitude amp160Williamsamp8217 tap dance classes from when she was 8 are amp8220serving me well nowamp8221 she said amp160amp8220It was 38 years in the making amp160I feel like I was preparing my whole life for thisamp8221Williams also brings her experience as a mom fiercely protective of a daughter amp160Verdon and Fosseamp8217s daughter Nicole Fosse a creative consultant and coexecutive producer on FosseVerdon shared amp8220She was absolutely lovable and everyoneamp8217s memories of her are only fond memoriesamp160 But like everybody there was an edge sometimesamp8221FosseVerdon reveals the famous couple on stage and at home life was smoother under the spotlights Chronicling them through flashbacks highlighting iconic numbers from their shows including Chicago the action spans five decades amp160The series opens with the words amp8220Hollywood 19 Years Leftamp8221 amp160That refers to the time when Fosse will succumb to a heart attack in 1987 dying in Verdonamp8217s arms en route to opening night of a revival of Sweet CharityFirst though a tremendous amount of living must be done amp160Fosse remains the recordholder of Tony Awards for choreography eight amp160He also won an Oscar for directing Cabaret and Emmys for choreographing and directing Liza with a amp8220Zamp8221 amp160Verdon was not exactly a slouch she won four Tonys and consistently delivered showstopping performancesWithin the first minute of these eight hours thereamp8217s a shot of Fosse arranging Verdonamp8217s body not as her lover but as a choreographer who moves dancersamp8217 limbs as an architect shifts roomsamp8217 angles in service of perfecting a vision amp160While dance was their shared language the series resonates with those including Rockwell who doesnamp8217t begin counting amp82205678amp8221 as dancers doamp8220I became aware of Fosse as a kid with the movie Star 80amp8221 Rockwell recalled amp160amp8220I knew him more as a director of straight movies and then I find out about the musical side of him amp160He felt he had to prove he could do itquotLike all great artists Fosse was always challenging himself and dissatisfied even while collecting awards Rockwell portrays him as someone unintentionally cruel he merely assumes everyone exists to serve him Fosseamp8217s raw talent was an aphrodisiac which helps explain why so many women ignored the ridiculous combover to sleep with him amp160The man subsisted on pills booze and cigarettesamp8220He always had a cigarette in his mouth and he had the Friar Tuck combover and he did very well with that lookquot Rockwell notedSince Rockwell had been a smoker he told MediaVillage that part wasnamp8217t too difficult amp160To move like the master however required work amp160Rockwell learned from those who danced in Fosseamp8217s productionsThis sort of meticulous detail extends through the production amp160When Verdonamp8217s applying makeup backstage the can of Aqua Net and the powder puffs on the vanity are of the time as is Fosseamp8217s attitude toward women amp160It was a different era amp160Executive producers including LinManuel Miranda had discussed if now was the right time to tell their storyamp8220There are so many troubling aspects of this storyamp8221 executive producer Steve Levenson acknowledged of Fosseamp8217s habit of bedding dancers amp160amp8220It was right around then that this incredible explosion of the truth really in this industry in particular came to light amp160It suddenly felt like amp8216Oh no we have to tell this story because of thatamp8217 instead of amp8216how are we going to tell this story and not glamorize thisamp8217amp8220One of the things that I want people to see in this show is thereamp8217s this incredible photo of Bob on the set of Sweet Charity directing the dancersamp8221 Levenson continued amp160amp8220If you crop it in such a way it looks like itamp8217s just Bob this lone white male genius creating this film out of whole cloth but if you zoom out you see that Gwen Verdon was standing right next to him directing this other group of dancersamp8221That one shot crystallizes their relationship Fosse in the spotlight Verdon in the shadow yet shining brightlyFosseVerdon is telecast Tuesday at 10 pm on FXClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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“Fosse/Verdon” Dances Into the FX Spotlight

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Jacqueline Cutler

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“Fosse/Verdon” Dances Into the FX Spotlight

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