Dance Informa continues its series on stories about Ann Reinking, written by colleague and friend Debra McWaters.
Chapter 12: The Tony Awards
While the Broadway company of Chicago was running and was a major hit, and our two national tours were knocking people’s socks off around the U.S., I was asked to go to London to audition people for the West End production of Chicago, and dates were set for our journey to Australia in order to begin the casting process there. Unfortunately, Annie was unable to go with me to the first trips to London and Australia. We were able to find the most interesting, handsome, talented people in both places. It was clear that we were going to be working with a killer cast in each country.
While putting up the two tours, and auditions in London and Australia, Tony committee members were evaluating the shows on Broadway. Unfortunately, Annie was fighting a crippling back problem and had to miss many performances at that time. Ultimately, it became impossible for the Tony group to evaluate her performance. It is such a shame, as she tore the place apart when the show opened. There are some things you just cannot control, however.
Annie was the choreographer of Chicago, and it took no time for her to be nominated for the Tony Award for best choreography. Many people felt her choreography was genius. She always referred to the choreography as “in the style of” Bob Fosse. I did not feel that way. I watched her give birth to the numbers. They reflected Annie. True, there was “Hot Honey Rag,” which was Bob’s choreography. Otherwise, theater goers were watching Annie’s work. Her work was influenced by Bob’s choreography, but she took his style and rounded the corners. I loved being immersed in her work. It was such a privilege.
As one could imagine, there were hundreds of people auditioning for this show whenever there was an audition. The same was true in London and Australia.
Once I came home, we found out we were nominated for several Tonys. Annie’s choreography was nominated. We were delirious with happiness.
The Tonys were so much fun. Of course, the nominees sat toward the front of the stage at Radio City. The remainder of us were in the mezzanine. When it came time for Best Choreographer to be mentioned, we were all holding hands waiting for the announcement. When Annie’s name was mentioned, we screamed oh so loudly. My heart is always warmed when I remember that Annie was kind enough to thank me for helping her.
After the show, Annie was invited to the big Tony party and both of us to the Chicago party. Annie and I felt the same about parties such as these…we weren’t real party-goers. When we got to the Chicago party, we went in and congratulated everyone, after which we went to Orso to eat and have an intimate evening with our husbands.
Trips to Europe and Australia began almost immediately after the Tonys. The creative team’s first stop was in London. We had our cast and began our journey starring Ruthie Henshall and Ute Lemper. It was an eye opener. It was imperative that we not go into a country that was not ours and try to act like hotshots. One could see that heading into rehearsals in another country as the “be all and end all” of working in musical theater would be a disaster.
I will always remember one of the “party favors” distributed at the West End’s production of Chicago on opening night – Chicago the Musical condoms. What a place that was!
The cast was gorgeous, as were the people running the rehearsals and performances. I’ve never seen so many tats and piercings. However, it was so much fun. We took the “tube” everywhere. We had Indian food every day we were there. At night, it was Greek or Italian. We were traveling with Rob Fisher (our music director), Walter Bobbie (our director), and Jonathan Bernstein (Walter’s assistant director). Our flats were scattered about town, but we were quite adept at taking the tube to get where we needed to go. One day and night off, Rob, Walter, Annie and I took the Chunnel to Paris. It was all so amazing.
I believe it’s safe to say that we all learned so very much!
Debra McWaters was mentored for 15 years by Ann Reinking. Reinking introduced McWaters to Gwen Verdon, and they all traveled the world working on shows related to Fosse. Verdon gave McWaters the nod to teach his style. She became one who passed on what was taught, by Reinking and Verdon, and she wrote the book, The Fosse Style, with a foreword by Ben Vereen.
For over 15 years, McWaters was Assistant Choreographer and then Associate Choreographer for Director of Choreography Reinking. McWater’s Broadway career began with New York City Center Encores! production and Broadway production of Tony Award-winning Chicago The Musical, starring Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth. She also worked with London, Australian and Viennese companies and two first U.S. National Tours, one originally co-starring Chita Rivera and Ben Vereen. In addition, McWaters was Reinking’s Associate Choreographer on Applause at Papermill Playhouse, No Strings! at New York City Center Encores!, The Look of Love at Roundabout Theatre Company, the original version of The Visit at the Goodman Theatre with Chita Rivera, Legends at Joffrey Ballet, Suite Kander at Missouri State Ballet, Tonight at 8:30 at Williamstown Theatre Festival and Caution: Side Effects with Melissa Thodos Dancers. She was also Associate Director and Choreographer for Broadway Under the Stars at Bryant Park; choreographer for Ben Vereen’s one-man show; and choreographer for the workshops of two of composer Frank Wildhorn’s musicals, Wonderland and Havana.
McWaters has worked with 2014 Olympic Gold Medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White. She is an associate member of SDC, and was chair of the University of South Florida Dance Department. She holds a Masters degree in Math (specialty in probability/statistics) and worked at NASA on the Apollo and Skylab missions. In 1991, Reinking and McWaters co-founded the Broadway Theatre Project, a training ground for young artists. McWaters authored Musical Theatre Training: The Broadway Theatre Project Handbook, published by University Press of Florida. She teaches master classes around the country and has particularly enjoyed doing so at Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. She has studied and competed in International Latin dance, has learned some West Coast Swing and is now learning American Rhythm and American Smooth in order to begin competing again. She recently experimented with some Broadway Theatre Project alums and faculty on a video that was virtual and one that was not, and he has several more planned.
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