About the work
Sweet Charity is a musical by Cy Coleman (music), Dorothy Fields (lyrics), and Neil Simon (book), premiered on Broadway in 1966. Choreographed and directed by Bob Fosse, it is based on Federico Fellini's film Nights of Cabiria. The work is regarded as one of the most iconic examples of Fosse's distinctive dance style.
Plot
Charity Hope Valentine, a good-hearted, eternally optimistic taxi dancer at New York's Fandango ballroom, longs for true love and a better life. Despite repeated disappointments by men, she never gives up hope. An encounter with the shy, claustrophobic Oscar seems at last to bring great love—but when he learns of her past, he too leaves her. Charity is left alone, but unbroken and "living hopefully ever after."
Cultural significance
Sweet Charity is famous for Bob Fosse's style-defining choreography—the sultry group number Big Spender and the exuberant Rhythm of Life are among the most iconic dance scenes in Broadway history. Cy Coleman's jazzy score and the bittersweet title character made the work a classic. The 1969 film with Shirley MacLaine and numerous revivals with stars such as Gwen Verdon and Christina Applegate secure it a permanent place in the repertoire.