The True Story Behind Gwen Verdon's Iconic Can-Can Standing Ovation
Sometimes, the truth is stranger than fiction. Tonight's episode of Fosse / Verdon highlights Gwen Verdon's iconic turn in "Can-Can." The Cole Porter musical about showgirls in Paris was Verdon's breakout role on Broadway, and she played the second female lead, Claudine.
The FX miniseries depicts her dancing as so impressive on opening night that she had to be brought back onstage, covered by a towel, to receive a lengthy standing ovation.
As it turns out, that's pretty much exactly what happened.
In Verdon's 2000 obituary, the New York Times recounted the night:
"On opening night on Broadway, she delivered a fiery Apache dance that brought the audience to its feet -- and kept them there. She was already back in her dressing room for a costume change when one of the producers came pounding in to tell her that the audience was chanting her name and cheering and that she had to come back for a curtain call so that the show could continue. She took her bows, wearing a bathrobe, and knew she had arrived."
The TV show takes issue with just one element of the Gray Lady's version of the Broadway legend. In the show, Verdon goes back on-stage covered by a towel, not wearing a bathrobe.
Take a bow, Gwen. #FosseVerdonFX pic.twitter.com/yqJYf100dD
- Fosse/Verdon (@FosseVerdonFX) April 25, 2019
So who has it right?
According to Broadway actor Harvey Evans, who appeared in the original productions of "West Side Story," and "Follies," and alongside Verdon in "New Girl in Town" and "Redhead," the show is right on the money.
His source? Shelah Hackett Kidd, who had been a chorus girl in the evening's performance.
"The audience went nuts. They started stomping and screaming [Gwen's] name and she went right to her dressing room and took her costume off," Evans explained during an event for the organization Dancers Over 40.
"She was in her bra and panties and Michael Kidd was out front in the back of a house and he said why isn't she taking another bow? What is happening? The show can't go on unless he comes out."
Evans continued, "[Kidd] ran down the right aisle, out to her dressing room and said you got to go back on the stage and she said, 'I can't! I'm naked.' so he threw a towel-not a bathrobe as the legend is-but over her and pushed her out on the stage take another bow."
Watch him recount the story in full in the video below:
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