'Fosse' ready to fly onto IU Auditorium stage

Before Bob Fosse came along, choreography was like a kaleidoscope by Busby Berkeley. Elegant by Fred Astaire. Or the athletic kind by Gene Kelly. \nThen Bob Fosse decided to jazz things up, make them more vivacious. A story about Fosse and his groove hits the stage at 8 p.m. tonight and Friday at the IU Auditorium.\n"Fosse" premiered in Toronto at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts on Aug. 9, 1998. The company sweeping through Bloomington this week opened at the Aladding Theatre in Las Vegas last September.\nThe Tony Award-winning musical showcases rarely seen dance and musical hits from the earliest works of the work-aholic choreographer, who some say smoked as many as four packs a day. \n"Fosse" also shows dance numbers designed by Fosse including "Steam Heat," "Big Spender" and "Sing, Sing, Sing" the IU Auditorium said in a statement. \nThe company consists of 26 dancers and singers, each playing multiple roles and numbers. For the show, performers have been trained imitating Fosse's original style of choreography. Debra McWaters and Ann Reinking, one of Bob Fosse's leading dancers and his protégé, trained the dancers. Reinking won the 1997 Tony for her choreography of "Chicago."\n"This cast dances and sings with an energy that threatens to raise the roof!" raved The New York Times.\nWith that "raise the roof" quality, "Fosse" has already given a very strong show at the IU Auditorium's Box Office, according to Auditorium Director Doug Booher. \n"We were very proud to have landed this show in at the IU Auditorium," Booher said. "It often takes weeks of negotiation to deliver a high-quality, highly sought-after show like 'Fosse.'" \nThe show, running two hours with a 15 minute intermission, won the 1999 Tony Award for best musical. It also garnered a Tony for best orchestrations and lighting design.\nBob Fosse was an actor, dancer, choreographer and director. He crossed the boundaries of mediums in the entertainment industry. His work appeared on Broadway with shows like "Chicago," on the silver screen with "Cabaret" and on television in appearances dating to the early 1950's.\nFosse, who died at age 60 in 1987, pulled off a feat few giants in show business could do. In 1973, Fosse won a "Triple Crown," taking home each of the three major awards the industry offers -- an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony.