Boy, A Chorus Line hit me hard. I didn't think this show, which I know so well, could still pack such an emotional wallop. But the production at the Paper Mill Playhouse had me right from the opener, "I Hope I Get It." By the curtain call, I was crying—and the night was not quite over. Some 50 alumni from the Broadway and touring companies of A Chorus Line—including performers I remember fondly from the original Broadway cast (like Kelly Bishop, Donna Drake, and Priscilla Lopez)—joined the current cast on stage for a rousing encore of "One." They'd come to pay their respects to the show's composer, Marvin Hamlisch, who died in August. And seeing these graying but game older dancers strut their stuff one more time added an extra level of poignancy. The energy in the house on opening night was extraordinary; I think the alumni, wanting to show support for their younger counterparts, contributed much of that energy. This production boasts any number of fine performer—-Brian LeTendre (whose casually perfect dancing was a particular joy throughout), Kevin Curtis (an irresistible, scene-stealing Richie), Gabrielle Ruiz (singing with purity of tone and spirit "What a Did for Love"), and Mark Myars (a magnetic dancer here, as usual, well cast as Mike). Mitzi Hamilton, a veteran of the original New York and London productions, has effectively re-created Michael Bennett's staging.
I saw the original Broadway production several times, and wasn't sure I needed to see the show again. The original production had a groundbreaking freshness and an element of surprise that no revival can possibly have. (And its confessional style has often been imitated, in the years since it first opened.) It would also be hard for any current cast to compete with my recollection of the original New York cast (which had added authority because we all knew the show was based on actual experiences of members of that cast). And not all performers in this new production are equally persuasive in their solo spots. Yet in the end, none of that really mattered. The material (book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and music by Hamlisch) is so solid; the ensemble work is so strong; and most performers are conveying so much conviction, it's impossible not to get caught up in their stories. And to "hope they get." I wish this production (running through October 28th, 2012) were running longer. It's powerful theater. Go, if you can.
Chip Deffaa
Cabaret Scenes
October 7, 2012
www.cabaretscenes.org
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