A Chorus Line

Have you ever felt rejected? Have you been afraid that if you mentioned anything about yourself, someone would use it against you? In the world today, people tend to judge other people by their actions and their past. Wanting to feel accepted plays a big part in what we say and share about ourselves. We would rather hide all our feelings than let the world see them, because we are afraid that others will come to the wrong conclusions. The characters in the play A Chorus Line illustrate for us the inner struggle we all experience in regard to our fear of rejection. On October 14th I had the ability to see A Chorus Line live at Playhouse Square in the Palace Theatre. This play involves seventeen dancers trying out for eight positions and is set in New York City. They are all amazing dancers, but the potential employer Zach, played by Michael Gruber, is looking for more than just skill. He wants to know their personalities, desires, and plans. He begins to dig into their past. As the audience we get to see as the dancers explore their feelings about their profession and their lives.

Although A Chorus Line is a musical the acting is what truly impressed me. Nikki Snelson who played Cassie gave a great performance and brought a deeper meaning to the production. She truly had my sympathy and admiration by the end. Cassie was one of the only characters who knew herself and understood what it meant to love dancing. Snelson seemed to know how to portray Cassie as a strong and sure person. When she had the chance to perform a solo dance I was thoroughly awed. Another character that I enjoyed watching was Paul played by Kevin Santos. He was one of the only characters that had me almost in tears. The way Santos made the audience experience Paul’s pain made him a great actor. Without using any props or much movement on the stage, Santos showed emotion and passion. I absolutely applaud his presentation. Besides these characters, Richie played by Anthony Wayne also had an impact on me. His voice and dancing were beyond astonishing and when I got the chance to see him act I instantly loved him! The only disappointment in A Chorus Line was that it did not have more acting. It would have been very enjoyable to see the characters more developed and the talent of all the actors showcased. But the sensational singing improved this minor setback. It is not everyday that a cast can sing as well as they dance. Each actor and actress added his or her own vocal flair to the production. Some had strong voices while others were sweet, but each tone went with the character that the actor was portraying. Whenever they did sing I found it very entertaining.

As always, the Palace Theatre was beautiful! The actual scenery of the musical did not seem impressive at first look, but by the end I was impressed by the lighting and the use of the elements they had. The dancers were the main attraction and did not require many props. The background was mostly a collection of mirrors that wound rotate whenever the people were dancing. The reflection added depth to the stage and the production. The lighting would reflect off the mirrors and make the entire stage light up! During Cassie’s main performance, another set of mirrors also joined the background and provided a spectacular view. Now for viewers who tend to love action and a more defined plot (such as West Side Story) may be disappointed with the lack of special effects and the lack of acting. But one must remember that this play was written in 1970’s and they did not have everything that we have now and therefore looking past that, the overall scenery was unique and creative.

The original musical of A Chorus Line became a hit on Broadway nearly thirty-three years ago, making it one of the longest running American plays of all time. In this new production of the old show none of the script has been changed. This may make it somewhat slow for the younger crowd. But for an older crowd, this classic will bring back many memories. Now don’t get me wrong when I mention “a younger crowd”. I would not recommend this production as a family night out. A lot of the dancers use language that may not be appropriate for children. Also, Val (Natalie Elise Hall) sings a song (Dance: Ten; Looks: Three) that refers to her body being the most important part of a dancing career. She uses very blunt words to describe those body parts. Other small innuendos also appear in A Chorus Line.

Underlying the main plot of A Chorus Line, I found several other interesting thoughts. Most humans in theatre believe that looks are everything, but Zach, the director, is looking for more. He doesn’t care what the people look like. Instead, he wants to know their hearts. Allowing their hurt and confusion to come out are a big part of whether or not they get the position. Zach is not one to judge; he just knows what he wants and the type of people who will accomplish it. This also applies to life. Although most people can see the outside of a person, the soul and spirit are what matter most.

Overall, the dancing mesmerized me and the singing lifted my spirits. But be careful when choosing whom to bring with you to A Chorus Line. The dance numbers can be long and not entertaining for short attention spans. But for the right audience it will be an evening of good acting and great dancing. A Chorus Line was originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward LeKleban. This production was directed by Bob Avian and the Choreography Re-Staged by Baayork Lee. A Chorus Line is now showing at Playhouse Square from October 15th-26th. Go to playhousesquare.com for show times and ticket prices.

By: Danielle Mendheim, STAR Reporter for Playhouse Square