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An American in Paris: 'S Wonderful

Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild in An American in Paris. Photo by Angela Sterling

When Veanne Cox was seven years old her mother took her and her sister to the local YMCA for ballet lessons. “The woman teaching us had underwear hanging out of her leotard,” she recalls, along with the fact that the sessions were also pretty lame. “But somehow that class planted the seed for me.”

So began Cox’s love affair with ballet, nurtured at the Washington School of Ballet and brought back into her theatrical life vis-à-vis her role in the white hot Tony contender, An American in Paris.

Culled from the iconic 1951 film musical starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron the stage version is nothing short of a revelation thanks to the vision and artistry of British born director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, a veteran of both the Royal Ballet in England and New York City Ballet.

And then there are the show’s luminous leading players: Robert Fairchild, a principal dancer with NYCB for the past five years, and Leanne Cope, who officially joined the Royal Ballet in 2003. Together they redefine romance through the ebb and flow of beautiful dance movements as they discover, celebrate and surrender to one another.

Fairchild plays Jerry Mulligan, an American G.I. haunted by the lovely French girl he sees in and around Paris. When they finally connect he learns her name—Lise Dassin—and that she is already in a relationship with Henri (Max von Essen) a wealthy textile heir/nightclub singer wannabe. His mother, Madame Baurel (Ms. Cox) spends much of the show encouraging him to propose.

There are other complications, of course, such as Jerry’s involvement with a sexy heiress (Milo Davenport, played by Jill Paice) – but suffice to say the beauty of An American in Paris rests in its artistic nexus: dance. The physical magic is played out to a soaring score comprised of George and Ira Gershwin numbers, including “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” and “I Got Rhythm”.

“I know this show will be an inspiration for people to express themselves in movement,” says Cox, who has never abandoned that passion. “I feel like a dancer in my heart,” she says. “When I dream at night I’m a prima ballerina.” Which explains why, she threw herself back into the world of dance during rehearsals...“relearning” the language of dance by watching Wheeldon interact with Fairchild and Cope.

“Leanne and Robbie are both so technically evolved, yet they come from a storytelling place...a place of depth,” says Cox. “It was marvelous watching them, especially in the opening and closing numbers because they are so diverse yet connected by this one singular voice which is Christopher.

Cox, who was nominated for a Tony for her portrayal of frazzled bride-to-be Amy in Company, finds herself touched by the reaction of teens and children—some as young as seven—who show up at the stage door after the show. “When there are young people standing in line at this show, it’s not because they’re star-struck...or want to see some celebrity,” says Cox. “It’s because they are genuinely caught up in what they saw.” Apparently they are not alone.

Even before the Tony nominations were announced, An American in Paris was— dare I say, the toast of Broadway—and it will be well represented on Tony night (June 7th) with a dozen nominations, including a Best Choreography nod for Wheedon; Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Fairchild; Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for Cope and 2015’s Best Musical Award.

And, like the rest of the company, Cox is confident An American in Paris will shine not just on Tony night, but for a long and fabulous run graced by brilliant dancers who can sing and act and bring out standing ovations performance after performance, season after season.

An American in Paris is currently playing at The Palace Theatre at 47th Street and Broadway. To reserve tickets call 877-250-2929 or visit americaninparisonbroadway.com

About the Author

City Guide Theatre Editor Griffin Miller moved to New York to pursue an acting/writing career in the 1980s after graduating magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Since then, she has written for The New York Times, For the Bride, Hotels, and a number of other publications, mostly in the areas of travel and performance arts. An active member of The New York Travel Writers Association, she is also a playwright and award-winning collage artist. In addition, she sits on the board of The Lewis Carroll Society of North America. Griffin is married to Richard Sandomir, a reporter for The New York Times.

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