***A NONSTOP ONE SINGULAR SENSATION PRODUCTION*** (A Chorus Line)

Member Name: curious_tan

Product:	A Chorus Line
Date:	25/12/06 (849 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Remake with new stage production

Disadvantages: Now showing in Broadway ONLY

IT IS ALMOST 10 years after I had the chance to watch another musical in the US. Having spent a long summer vacation in California recently, I had the opportunity to watch a phenomenal stage production before it will be scheduled to open in Broadway later this year.

A CHORUS LINE is a 1975 Broadway production that captured more than six million people worldwide during its 15 years run. I was lucky enough to witness its first revival shows in San Francisco’s Curran Theater. It was a last minute decision to watch on the last few days of the show, and I did not face any difficulty to secure a good seat at $45 in the balcony section of the theatre.

This legendary Tony Awardee’s musical is a story based upon the lives and experiences of a group of Broadway dancers auditioning for the chorus of a new show. A group of girls and boys tried their luck to take part in the long exhausting process of selection by telling their personal stories – their talents, their families, their dreams and their fears to make it in the final production.

Unfortunately, I was not able to watch the original cast and production, but I found out that the 1975 show won 9 Tony awards (1976) including the Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize (drama). Nevertheless, the remake was really a non-stop singular sensation production from the original choreography and direction of Michael Bennett to the new direction of Bob Avian, who happened to be the co-choreographer of the original staging with Bennett.

This new production has 13 scenes and musical numbers, inclusive of dialogues, songs and dances. For having 2 hours running time ‘without intermission’ was quite a breathtaking event, watching those 18 hopeful dancers auditioning for only 8 chorus parts of a show. It was tough for me to really remember the stories of all these talented dancers. But, I can only tell you a few heart-moving and significant performances of the cast, making this show a must-see rating. These scenes are still vivid in my mind, considering that these are also highlighted in a low budget adaptation I watched in Thailand, 13 years ago! Having such a small production and frankly I don’t really know much about the original production during those times, my enthusiasm of watching it was really high then, for having someone that I know was in the cast - my office boss’ son. Well, after watching the remake in San Francisco, it turned out that the Thailand’s production was just a synopsis of the original story of the musical – showcasing only the final selection of the 8 dancers for a chorus line.

This show was not adapted from a film or vice-versa, but it has the ‘cinematic’ feel for a musical production. Having a quick and snappy turns of dialogues among the dancers, including the ‘individual confession’ of telling their touching stories made this melodramatic and sensational stage production triumphant. In particular, the portrayals of the 18 hopeful dancers were outstanding like the roles of Cassie, Diana, Shiela and Paul. The emotional confrontation between Zach (in-charge/director of the audition) and Cassie somehow adds the ‘lover story’ of the show. Cassie’s strong determination and humbleness to face her ex-boyfriend was one of the best parts of the musical, and while the comical stage presence of Shiela always brought the audience into laughter. Diana’s rendition of the ‘What I did for Love’ was really moving for having a self realisation of what ‘love’ can do in our lives.

On the other hand, the private and emotional confession of Paul (being gay) was one of the highlights of the show. Zach’s motivation to know every potential dancer taking part in the audition and ultimately to be part of the chorus line made Paul opened-up and shared his fears and ambitions in life. The scene act in the ‘Music and the Mirror’ by Cassie was also a sensational and dramatic solo performance where the use of the mirrors as ‘back draft’ for having reflections from the dancer adds a different theatrical dimension. And having the last final one singular sensational, synchronised act of the 8 dancers in their gold motif costumes (with matching hats) was really a revelation of the powerful and talented cast. Aside from the ‘What I did for Love’, other well-remembered songs included in the show are: ‘At the ballet’, ‘Nothing’, ‘Dance Ten, Looks Three’, and ‘One’.

IN GENERAL, the members of the production, from the main cast to the members of the orchestra did very well to bring back or recreate the original performance after 30 years into a 21st century production. The only drawback was not on the show but from me – for not bringing my reading glasses! Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much for watching this as one of the long-running American musical productions even shown in Broadway.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE, the musical is still relevant in the present time of technological advancement. Taking aside the entertainment value of the production, it tackles issues that most of the people in the entertainment industry are facing nowadays. It is not only for fame and success, but it deals with human existence – survival. It is not only the individual talents and potentials that matter but attitudes, values and upbringing count. The winning 8 dancers for the chorus line have in common – the passion for what they are doing. Their ultimate goal is to have the job of the lifetime! Finally, the show reminds me of the positive values of living: persistence, humbleness, honesty, and have patience to listen to others.


***KEY PEOPLE of the revival production and important credits are listed below.***

The majority of the cast or the company have appeared in 87 different shows in which they have given a total of 31,002 performances. Having these different shows, they have sustained 18 back, 13 knee and 21 ankle injuries.

Its original show ran for a record of 6,137 performances (as a long running musical) and later surpassed by ‘Cats’ and the ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.

Production and Cast: Choreography Re-staged (Baayork Lee), Director (Bob Avian), Sets (Robin Wagner), Costumes (Theoni V. Aldredge, Music (Marvin Hamlisch); and the main cast: Cassie (Charlotte d’Amboise), Zach (Michael Berresse), Diana (Natalie Cortez), Sheila (Deidre Goodwin), Paul (Jason Tam).

1976 Tony Awards: Actress (Musical) – Donna McKehnie; Book (musical) – James Kirkwood & Nicolas Dante; Choreographer - Michael Bennett and Bob Avian; Director (musical) – Michael Bennett; Featured Actor (musical) – Sammy Williams; Featured Actress (musical) - Carole Bishop; Lighting Designer - Tharon Musser.

Current play dates in Broadway can be viewed at: http://www.playbill.com/events or http://www.achorusline.com/

Summary: Not to miss as one of the long-running American musical productions even shown in Broadway