Gower Power

I just read Before The Parade Passes By*, John Anthony Gilvey's bio of Broadway director-choreographer Gower Champion. (What a great name he had.)

Champion has gotten a lot less attention than contemporaries Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Harold Prince. This is probably because his stuff is seen as simpler and "happier" while the others were more edgy and "artistic."

But Champion was as successful as anyone during his heyday in the 60s. He directed four hits in a row, Bye Bye Birdie (the original "High School Musical"), Carnival, the monumental hit Hello, Dolly! and I Do! I Do!. Broadway recognized his talent and he won a bunch of Tonys.

After a string of flops, his life had a Hollywood ending--ailing, he directs 42nd Street, dying the day the smash opens (which isn't that far removed from the plot of the movie 42nd Street).

The only live show I ever saw that he directly worked on was 42nd Street. I can't say I liked it. For one thing, I love the Busby Berkeley films it's based on and it suffers in comparison. Also, I felt the actors were playing down to the material, treating the 1930s plot as camp. My attitude is when actors think they're better than the play, if they're right, get a new play, if they're wrong, get new actors.

* This is a link to the book on Amazon.com. Note the Publisher's Weekly blurb where they claim Champion did Mame. I realize the show feels like a knock-off of Hello, Dolly!, but Champion had nothing to do with it.