The cast of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

 

Bob Fosse’s Dancin’

 

By Julia Polinsky

 

 

Dancin’ has chassed/jeted/moonwalked/shoulder-rolled – ok, danced into the Music Box Theater on Broadway, and that’s a deleriously good thing. Who needs antidepressants? We have Bob Fosse’s Dancin’.

 

Director Wayne Cilento, who was in the original Dancin’ 45 years ago, along with Christine Colby Jacques and Corrine McFadden Herrera, have reproduced, re-imagined, and re-worked Fosse’s characteristic choreo for modern audiences. Mr. Jazz Hands himself has been given to a new generation, and it works, oh, it works. Yes, it’s a revival, but so fresh, it feels new.

 

As the opening speech, given by Manuel Herrera as the spirit of Fosse, says: “The viewing of too many musical comedies with sentimental and over romantic plots may cause serious and sometimes incurable damage. …Therefore, what you are about to see is an almost plotless musical.” He also promises “There will be no message,” which got a round of applause.

 

Almost plotless, but not without story. Aside from occasional spoken asides, mostly speaking about dance from Fosse himself, Dancin’ also quotes Langston Hughes, in his quest to give this celebration of dancers and dancing what he calls, “a fresh, updated take.”

 

Titles for some of the dance scenarios point out what’s about to happen: “Recollections of an Old Dancer,” danced to “Mr. Bojangles,” and making evocative use of Robert Brill’s brilliant scenic design; “Big City Mime” follows a callow youth through his introduction to the delicious sins of the city; “Big Deal” captions a nice, long bait-and-switch storyline.

 

In between those dance stories, though, there are the truly splendid non-storyline numbers such as “Dancin’ Man,” possibly the best first act closer in recent memory, or “Benny’s Number,” which explodes with the famous “Sing, Sing, Sing,” and you’ll never hear that song the same way again.

 

The cast of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

 

Broadway dancers are so much stronger, more capable, just plain better than they were in 1987, when Fosse died. Can’t help but think he would have adored this splendid cast, all of whom are Olympic-level athletes and Picasso-level artists: Ioana Alfonso, Yeman Brown, Peter John Chursin, Dylis Croman, Jòvan Dansberry. Karli Dinardo, Aydin Eyikan, Pedro Garza (on for Tony d’Alelio), Jacob Guzman, Manuel Herrera, Afra Hines, Gabriel Hyman, Kolton Krouse, Mattie Love, Yani Marin, Nando Morland, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Ida Saki, and Ron Todorowski. And thank god they each get a splendid curtain call, with their names projected behind them; they deserve all the credit they can get.

 

The cast of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

 

 

You will see so much of the dancers, not just because they’re onstage all the time, but in Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung’s stupendous costumes, from splendidly clingy, B&D-inflected bodycon to lyrical loveliness to the dancing man’s blue-grey suit to killer corseting, thigh-high boots and rhinestone-studded fishnets.

Kolton Krouse in Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

 

So much of what went into Dancin’ was of such excellence that it feels redundant to write anything but, “This was good! That was good!” But seriously, all in service to this recreation of one man’s vision, there was David Grill’s killer lighting! Finn Ross’ oh-so-brilliant projections!  Robert Brill’s brutal but useful sparse set! The stupendous musicians! All, all, so so good.

 

Are there less-exciting moments? Meh. in the sequence titled “America,”: the promise from opening speech, “and there will be no message,” turns out to be inaccurate, and the sequence feels jarring, in the middle of the surrounding numbers, as the songs  (Rally ‘Round the Flag” “Yankee Doodle Dandy” “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” are so non-Fosse, non-Broadway.

 

 

Highlights, other than those mentioned above: Part 1 of “Monologue,” also Part IV; “The Female Star Spot”; “Snake Dance”; Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries” and “Ain’t We Got Fun”: the list goes on.

Karli Dinardo, Mattie Love, Ida Saki in Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)

 

On the way out, I heard more than one person comment that the show lifted the spirits and wiped out depression. Xanax, Prozac, whatever? Fugeddaboudit, when you have Bob Fosse’s Dancin’.

 

 

 

Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
At the Music Box Theater, 239 W. 45^th St.

7p.m. Tues, Thurs; 8pm Wed, Fri, Sat; 2pm Wed, Sat; 3pm Sun

Running time: 2:15, including one intermission
Tickets: $104-318 telecharge.com