Review Roundup: Broadway-Bound BOB FOSSE'S DANCIN' Opens At San Diego's Old Globe

The Broadway-bound musical Bob Fosse's Dancin' has released the first production images of the cast made up of 16 principals, featuring direction by Wayne Cilento. Bob Fosse's Dancin' is currently playing on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage at The Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego's Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way) through May 29, 2022.

The ensemble of principal cast members for Bob Fosse's Dancin' includes Ioana Alfonso (Broadway's Wicked), Yeman Brown (Broadway's Jagged Little Pill), Peter John Chursin (Broadway's Wicked), Dylis Croman (Broadway's Chicago), Tony d'Alelio (Off Broadway's This Ain't No Disco), Jōvan Dansberry (Broadway's King Kong), Karli Dinardo (Broadway's Moulin Rouge!), Ashley Blair Fitzgerald (Broadway's The Cher Show), Jacob Guzman (Broadway's West Side Story), Manuel Herrera (Broadway's Wicked), Gabriel Hyman (Broadway's King Kong), Kolton Krouse (Broadway's Cats), Mattie Love (Broadway's Wicked), Krystal Mackie (national tour of Hamilton), Yani Marin (Broadway's Wicked), Nando Morland (Broadway's West Side Story), Khori Michelle Petinaud (Broadway's Aladdin), Ida Saki (Warner Bros.' In the Heights), Michaeljon Slinger (Broadway's Hello, Dolly!), and Ron Todorowski (Broadway's Finding Neverland).

In addition to Bob Fosse and Wayne Cilento, the creative team for the Broadway-bound production of Bob Fosse's Dancin' includes scenic design by Robert Brill; costume design by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung; lighting design by David Grill; sound design by Peter Hylenski; video design by Finn Ross; music supervision, orchestrations, incidental music, and vocal arrangements by Jim Abbott; music direction by Darryl Archibald; dance arrangements and additional music by David Dabbon; casting by Tara Rubin Casting; production stage manager Beverly Jenkins; Mr. Fosse's choreography reproduced by Christine Colby Jacques; associate direction/musical staging and additional choreographic reconstruction by Corinne McFadden Herrera; text consultant and additional material by Kirsten Childs; and Assistant Musical Stager Lauren Cannon.

Bob Fosse's Dancin' originally opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 27, 1978 and later transferred to the Ambassador Theatre. The production ran for 1,774 performances. Dancin' was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and brought Fosse his seventh Tony Award for Best Choreography.

Let's see what the critics have to say!

David L. Coddon, San Diego Tribune: Two beautifully staged pieces, "Dancin' Man" and "Benny's Number," bookend the two-act musical's intermission. The first, with company in top hats and in top form, is Fosse's homage to Fred Astaire, and for a few minutes the Hollywood musical of old is resurrected. When "Benny's Number" opens Act 2 with Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing," a drummer with full kit is perched high above the stage and to the smokin' orchestra directed by Darryl Archibald, the dancers just about Raise the Roof. The remainder of the second act never fully matches that energy. It does include the sensual "Romantic Fantasy" number with Guzman and Mattie Love and some palpable heat beneath Melissa Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager's "If It Feels Good (Let It Ride)."

E.H. Reiter, BroadwayWorld: While based on Fosse's choreography from both the original of this show and from his earlier works there is no need to have prior familiarity with any of Fosse's prior works to enjoy or understand the show. Though you could hear audience members yell "yes!" when something from a favorite like PIPPIN, or SWEET CHARITY, and others made an appearance. [...] Bob Fosse'S DANCIN' is a show that doesn't just celebrate Fosse and the world of dance, but also the individuality and artistic expression of each performer. It will leave you energized, breathless, and excited to see it over and over again.

Valerie Jean-Miller, BWW Dance: In this new, "reimagined, reinvented" version, Wayne Cilento, The Director, Musical Stager and original cast member of the original production has succeeded in succinctly replicating Mr. Fosse's distinctive stylized choreography, but besides that he has also imbued the essence and inspiration that came from the creator himself onto this young, multi-talented cast of performers; sort of channeling Bob's spirit, based on his own experiences working and learning directly from him.