How did the tradition of RTT dancing with the female member of the audience get its start?

~Carmelcat

I've never seen it happen live before... Didn't they stop interaction with the audiance when US Tour Five? I think the only interaction is when Bustopher throws his flower into the audiance, lol

No... In the US Tour V, if the theatre has the ability to do so, Tugger will come out and dance with someone. At Temecula out here in SoCAL, he chose a "matron" in the aisle during his Number.

Green Eyes is done in the aisles during the Overture. Naming has them come out into the aisles as well. There is "limited" interaction - but nothing like Winter Gardens (Broadway) and New London (UK) where the theatre sets had the audience and performers within touching distance.

I am not sure when Tugger started this dancing bit, but I know he does in both the present tours (US & UK). Perhaps some of our veterans. Perhaps "Keith" (MacavityBWAY) might know a little more lore from Broadway...

Respectfully,
Rumblepurr
The Writer Cat.

I believe this originated on Broadway, when Terrence Mann was playing RTT, but I'm not 100% sure. Judging by how the original London cast sounded, I think Paul Nicholas was probably playing him a bit too ho-hum, and perhaps Gillian Lynne suggested Terrence do a little more with the part. (And he did.)

I saw Tour V twice, and the first time the theatre's structuring didn't allow him to go into the crowd (much to the relief of the female family members I went with). The second time, he did go out into the crowd, danced with an older woman, and they both blew a "Dating Game"-style kiss to the audience.