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Dancing Through Life: A Broadway Memoir of Luck & Talent - By Larry Fuller & Kergan Edwards-Stout
Dancing Through Life is an intimate, electrifying memoir that pulls back the curtain on Broadway's most dazzling decades-told by a man who didn't just witness history, but helped create it. From his modest beginnings in Missouri to the bright lights of New York's most celebrated stages, Larry Fuller's journey is one of grit, instinct, and relentless reinvention.
With disarming honesty and sharp wit, Fuller charts his evolution from chorus dancer to sought-after choreographer, working alongside legends like Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Elizabeth Taylor, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, and Nathan Lane. He offers a rare insider's view of iconic productions including West Side Story and The Music Man, capturing the artistry, ego, and pressure that defined a golden age of musical theatre.
More than just a backstage chronicle, this is a deeply personal story of identity and survival. As a gay man navigating mid-20th-century America, Fuller reveals the quiet negotiations required to live authentically in a world that often demanded silence. At its emotional core are his previously unspoken relationships with two titans of Broadway-Hal Prince and Michael Bennett-shedding new light on the complex intersections of power, creativity, and intimacy behind the scenes.
Rich with revelation, warmth, and hard-won insight, Dancing Through Life preserves a vanishing era through the eyes of one of its last living witnesses. It is both a love letter to the theatre and a testament to the courage it takes to claim your place within it.
Praise for Dancing Through Life
“Larry Fuller's career has spanned some of the most influential and transformative moments in musical theater history." - Stage and Cinema
“Seeing Larry in action, working on the original (and best) production of Evita, in London in 1978, was a revelation. His work revealed to me that he was a true genius and there is no question in my mind that his contribution to what became a massive success was absolutely crucial. He inspired everyone involved with the show.” - Sir Tim Rice, book/lyrics, Evita
“Larry Fuller's work on Evita with Hal Prince is blazed into my memory. It was a perfect match of director and choreographer storytelling. Watching Patti LuPone perform ‘Rainbow High’ as the choreography and staging changed her before our eyes was breathtaking. It is just one of the many examples where Larry's work remains unsurpassable.” - Jerry Mitchell, Tony Award-winning Director and Choreographer
"An unsung hero of Broadway, Larry Fuller did the choreography for some of the most legendary productions in musical history. It's time that his story is told." - Michael Musto, entertainment columnist
“I loved working with Larry. I loved working on the whole show. My only wish is that we could do the whole thing over again starting today. It was one of the true gifts of my life. Thank you, Larry!” - Mandy Patinkin, Tony Award-winner, Evita
“Larry Fuller is an artist of the highest form. He understands deeply what few do, and that is the seamless integration of STORY, CHARACTER & MUSIC through DANCE. His groundbreaking work on productions such as, Evita, Sweeney Todd and On the Twentieth Century majorly inspired me — and will no doubt inspire other choreographers for generations to come.” - Rob Marshall, award winning director/choreographer
“Larry Fuller has been a wonderful part of my life since we met on Evita in 1979, when I played Eva Perón on the National Tour. When he later directed me in the show, our professional relationship became a lasting friendship. His extraordinary talent, generosity, and support have meant more to me than I can say. I feel fortunate to call Larry my friend and to see his remarkable life and career celebrated in these pages.” Valerie Perri, Eva Perón, Evita Broadway National Tour
“Larry takes us back to those fabulous days in the theater and on film that will never be repeated. He was a favorite with producers and with his fellow dancers. I love him dearly, and what a wonderful journey his has been—a life well lived.” – Stefanie Powers, actress (Hart to Hart), author and founder of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation
"Larry's work brought a unique elan to the staging of several historic Broadway musicals, assuring his place in the pantheon of greats." - Len Cariou, Tony Award-winning original star of Sweeney Todd
“Lily Garland, Mildred Plotka, and I had a joyous ride On the 20th Century with Larry. Thank you for that, Larry, and—mostly--for knowing.” - Julia McKenzie, Olivier Award-winning actress and singer
“Larry Fuller is Broadway’s ‘Man for all Reasons...’ Performer, choreographer, director! He does it all and damn well. I know, firsthand. He made me--and everyone he ever worked with--look good!” - Ruta Lee, stage, film, TV and author
“I was privileged to work with Larry in the 1981 Hal Prince/Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along, when, during previews he joined us as a “knight in shining armor,” to lovingly rescue the choreography. With his kindness, caring heart, great style, and genuine interest in each of us, he matched the dance to our already established personalities and characters and allowed us to shine. I would follow him anywhere!” - Ann Morrison, actor
“Words cannot express how enriching it was to have seen, so many years ago, the productions featuring of the works of Larry Fuller. Those were shows that can never be replicated; fiercely beautiful, original works that affected me deeply. For new generations of theatre creators and lovers it is of the utmost importance to have this book as a record of the splendors of the Broadway experience.” – Isaac Mizrahi, designer and performer
"Larry Fuller has held an important place in Broadway history since the 1950s. As a performer, he was part of major Golden Age musicals including West Side Story, The Music Man, and Funny Girl. As a choreographer, he contributed to the game-changing, ambitious shows of the following era including Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Merrily We Roll Along. His stories cover decades of Broadway history in which he was a vital part and his insights offer a unique glimpse into those productions that no one else can provide." - Jennifer Ashley Tepper, author of Women Writing Musicals and The Untold Stories of Broadway
“Larry and I became friends working on the show that changed my life, On the Twentieth Century. Now we'll get to hear the backstory." - Judy Kaye, two-time Tony Award-winning actress
“I first knew Larry Fuller by reputation when I arrived in New York in 1980, when I second-acted Evita five times because I couldn’t afford a ticket. (Sorry, Larry—I’m told Act One was terrific.) Our paths eventually crossed and I’ve loved every moment in Larry’s orbit. He is, quite simply, Broadway personified.” – Jason Graae, Drama Desk-nominated Broadway performer
"What a career! What a life! What a story! Larry Fuller has contributed so much to the musical theater from his youth in the golden age of the fifties to the present day. He's collaborated with giants and knows where the bodies are buried. How fortunate we are that, at last, he's chosen to tell his story." - Charles Busch, Tony-nominated playwright and author of the memoir Leading Lady