ACL

A Chorus Line was my first Broadway show ever. I was 5 years old at the time, this was at the very end of the run. I remember so distinctly walking into the Shubert, going to my seat (center aisle orchestra), and just loving every minute of that show! I was just amazed at how incredible all of these performers were, and at the end of the show, I stood up, and said to my mother, "Mommy, I want to do that!" And no one has been able to change my mind since. Thank you to all the cast and crew for making such a wonderful production!

Touched by The Line


	It was 1977 or '78, I was in high school in New Orleans and my brother and his girlfriend took me to see *ACL. My memories of the show are not specific but my feelings about it are still with me today. I had never danced a step in my life, but on that night sitting in the theater I decided that I would be a dancer. I bought the cassette and wore it out in my Walkman - going to bed some nights with your voices in my head, never doubting that I would one day dance in NYC. I didn't venture down the road of musical theater, instead choosing modern dance as my means of expression - a gypsy life all the same. I had a successful career in NYC dancing for some well-known choreographers and even had my own company for about five years. As I neared 40, my partner and I decided to make a life change and moved to San Diego, CA. That was a year and a half ago. I have worked sporadically since we arrived, mostly choreographing or teaching summer workshops, but nothing has really clicked. Last night I had an evening alone and something told me to listen to the original ACL recording. I hadn't heard it in a long time, but as soon as the music started so did the tears - a year and a half's worth of frustration came to the surface. In thinking that at this stage of my career things were supposed to change I had forgotten one essential fact: I am a dancer and a dancer dances. Those words coursed through my body last night as fiercely as they did when I was a teenager. It felt good to finally cry because I knew I was getting back in touch with that kid in New Orleans who let ACL* into his heart and dreamed big dreams. As I listen to the recording, which I've done several times today, I am continually touched by the honesty. I believe truth comes in many guises and on July 25, 1975 that original group of people offered an incredible gift to our collective consciousness. I would sincerely like to thank them wherever they are, in this world or another, for sharing so much of themselves so that others like myself could, almost 30 years later, continue to be inspired by their gifts. May it last! Warmest regards, Gabe Masson December 7, 2003 San Diego, CA

I had the absolute fortune to see the original cast of ACL in November of 1975. My cousin, who is 4 years my junior, said her high school senior class was arranging a trip, and there were still some openings. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance. Our seats were way up in the balcony, and at times, the cast members' heads were a bit "cut off" in the mirrors. This, however, did not diminish the experience. I truly cannot recall EVER being so moved by a piece of theatre. Almost 30 years later, ACL still remains the most remarkable theatrical piece ever written or staged. As I sat in the audience for my 1st (of many) ventures to see ACL, I knew I had to someday experience it from the other side of the footlights. I would have been willing to play a painted number on the line !

Eventually, the show was released to non equity theatre groups, and I successfully auditioned and got the role of Greg. Our director/choreographer (for the most part) cloned Michael Bennett's original work. The original integrity of the piece remained intact, despite the fact this was performed in a dinner theatre. The same theatre produced the show the following year, as did another dinner theatre the year after. My 3rd ACL venture was directed/choreographed by Dennis Edenfield.

Moving forward several years and several roles later, I am now a 49 year old member of a hospital administration team, working in Patient Relations. A CHORUS LINE has taught me, and continues to remind me that each of us plays an integral role in society, as each of us has something unique to offer each other and to the world. I will be forever grateful for the gift of A CHORUS LINE.......................

Richard J.Cohen, Wilmington, DE


	We received this note from one of our soldiers, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom on 29 June 2003 Hi: Bet this will be the first reflection on *A Chorus Line* that you have ever received from Iraq, but here I sit, surfing the web with a bit of free time reflecting on this great play. I am currently serving with the Army as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Finding your website has allowed me to spend an hour reviewing recollections and sharing the fondest memories in 1976. I was a sophomore in college, upstate New York, near Albany. One of my close college friends, Sue, invited me to the city for the weekend. We were going to take in the Big Apple with her father. The plans were to go to dinner, take in a play and maybe a carriage ride and drink afterwards. She told me that her Dad had received "house seats" for *ACL. Quite frankly, I didn't really know what that meant and had only been to one play, Fiddler on the Roof* with my grammar school class. I had fallen asleep in the second half of *Fiddler* (with Zero Mostel)..I am embarrassed to admit. Anyway, off we went to Sardi's for a great meal. I remember the highlight of the dinner was being seated next to Ruth Gordon. I had seen 'Harold and Maude' and loved the film. I actually got up the nerve to walk over to her table, introduce myself, and tell her how much I had admired her work. She was so very gracious..she had me kneel beside her and we conversed. She asked me if I was an actor or interested in acting. I said no..."I go to a Catholic college near Albany and am majoring in Sociology". She laughed and said to stay in school, receive my degree and follow my dreams. I distinctly remember her telling me to never let anyone tell me that I cannot do what I want to do in life. In hindsight....it set the theme for the evening! Little did I know that her statement and the following stroll to the Shubert Theatre would have one of the most profound effects of my life. After dinner, and feeling that nothing could top kneeling for five minutes next to Ruth Gordon, we entered the lobby of the Shubert, Sue, I and her Dad. We walked down the aisle ..further and further...until we reached row 5, center seats. WOW!...this is what a house seat is!!! It was truly exciting. The house was packed on a Saturday night. I believe that *ACL* had just won the Tony for Best Play..little did I realize the advantages of having such great seats. The lights went down and the starkness of the staging really confused me. It did not dawn on me that I was watching a play, and I was initially confused that the actors were rehearsing. I thought...was this the warm up to the play. After a bit, I turned to my friend Sue to express my concern. She gave me a one minute overview of what we were about to see and although I thought that *Fiddler on the Roof* had at least more staging, lights, and pizzaz....I figured...what the heck...whatever this is..it's free. My mood started changing after Mike danced to "I can do that"..the nap that I was thinking of taking was overtaken by curiosity. I loved the story that he told and the dynamic flips that he pulled off. Hey..I thought..this may be pretty good. My emotions did not connect until "AT THE BALLET" was performed. This was and continues to be the most intense, altering piece of the play for me. The 3 stories of these women, so realistic and artistic. The cries from the bottom of their souls and emptiness of their hearts. The emotions of their fathers (mine had just died) begging for a sense of relationship...the broken marriages of their parents..the painstaking needs for acceptance..and finally and with great relief...the BALLET. The great escape..the fulfillment of their lives...finding true strength in the flow of artistry. To this day, whenever I hear that song...it still speaks volumes of life, love, acceptance and peace. Now, I was sitting up in my chair..seeing the faces of these people from the 5th row ....begin to ...in the most intimate of details..share their stories of life. I was trying to understand at 19, my life, and they were giving me lessons to share, laugh, cry and emphasize. I was shaken when the lights went up. I was left feeling, like many, that I was at an audition. But, more importantly, that my life would never be the same again. The lessons that I learned that evening would draw me back 20 times over the years..in different countries..different formats..with different friends..to share the emotions of the performance once again. I have been to many Broadway shows over the years..but not one has had the impact that this one has had on my life. So..what did I walk away with after speaking with Ruth Gordon and entering the lives of the actors of *ACL* that evening. I will tell you...when many told me that I would never make it in ROTC at college..I proved them wrong and followed my instinct. 24 years later, I am now a Colonel and serving as the Director of the entire Humanitarian Relief effort in Iraq. I am making a difference and setting the stage for relief and reconstruction here. It is a very humbling experience and I am grateful to have the opportunity. I also have my own business and raise thousands of dollars for women's scholarships in the Miss America Organization. I would like to think that some of my motivation started that day..lessons shared in 1976, watching *ACL* with my dear friend, opened my mind to reaching for goals and dreams and never allowing stumbles or rejections to get in the way. Isn't this what always draws us back to The Line...it's where we can be reminded about life's simples struggles and joys. It reminds us that although adversity exists, eventually you'll get your chance to be chosen for that moment in life unlike all others! That..."ONE SINGULAR SENSATION". Keep your eye out for it..and don't let it pass you by! My final, lasting memory of *A Chorus Line* was the matinee of the final performance at The Schubert. I called Sue once again and surprised her with tickets. Somehow..I really lucked out and received 3rd row seats. Sue and I would travel full circle from 1976 until this final day. I remember the original cast from 1975 was outside the theatre at tables signing Ms. Lee's book. I had my original *ACL* poster and a copy of the book. I was able to get each original cast member to sign next to their cast position on that Silver poster. It is one of my most cherished souvenirs. I remember buying a few roses to bring into the theatre with me. The show began..and I found myself weeping throughout the show..like I was saying goodbye to my best friends. At the end of the performance, as the curtain closed, I threw the flowers on the stage; one rose dropped towards the center, and as the audience stood and clapped to a closed curtain the spotlight focused on my rose - the last reminder of a Broadway Legend. Sharing this story has taken my mind off the peacekeeping effort for a few minutes...it has been a joy to share my thoughts with you...I will continue to share the spirit of *ACL* here and take the right risks for the right reasons...and always believe in tomorrow's dreams. Kevin Operation Iraqi Freedom 28 June 2003

I first saw A Chorus Line many years ago and I knew there was something magical. The show moved me in such a way that I don't think I can put into words. I took my younger brother, this was the second time I saw ACL. To be moved as much just knocked me out. Who knew?

I then proceeded to see the show sixteen times. And each time something else moved me in a different way. Each performer put so much of themselves into each performance - no wonder records were broken.

Fast forward to later when Donna McKechnie did the role of Cassie in Valley Forge, Pa. I bought a songbook after the show. I went to the stage door. I politely asked a guard if he would take it to her and have her sign it. Much to my joy she was sitting nearby heard me and she asked me to come in.

It was one of the greatest nights of my life. She talked with me for a few minutes and gladly signed my book. She was so amazing. The few other cast members who have signed this book have all been so sweet. Kelly Bishop, Carole Schweid - what a treasure the ACL memorabilia I have has come to mean to me.

There are a few others as well who have special meaning: Laurie Gamache who went to Japan. I got a sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse on it to take with her. Pam Klinger, Charles McGowan and Wayne Meledandri, to name just few more.

What a credit to the theater they all are. I hope for each and every one of them the lights of Broadway will shine just as bright as the eyes of someone seeing this show for the first time.

Long live "the line",

Lisa

January 2003


	I had the pleasure of being an offstage singer on 2 different productions of ACL (1 at American Musical Theater of San Jose in 1986) and under the direction of Trish "The Dish" Garland. I can't tell you how much it meant to me, a total non-dancer with 4 left feet, to be able to take part in this special show. It was an incredible experience for me on many different levels. As a veteran of over 30 stage productions I can honestly say ACL is unlike any other show I have done. The sense of genuine family and caring was amazing and the experience for me was definitely life-enhancing. *Bill Russell* San Jose, CA May 2002 www.angelfire.com/ca/BroadwayBill


Jeff Kwong played Paul in the recent Waltham, MA production of ACL. He sent in the following remembrance and photos:
	The show has since closed, but it was a wonderful experience. I've been in love with this show since the first time I saw it 16+ years ago. I felt very fortunate to work with Laurie and Dana and the entire cast of ACL. Well, a funny little anecdote was that Laurie got sick during rehearsals and could not talk for several days She decided to write everything down. She was very organized - she must have stayed up all night writing individual stage directions and notes for each one of us on these index cards...before we blocked a scene she would distribute these cards. She also had these pre-printed signs with sayings like "Great", "Home Base", and "that was freakin' awesome".....one of the best moments was when someone asked a question, "Laurie, do we step on 2 or 4?" and she had this sign pre-printed and without batting an eyelash she flipped to the sign that said "2"....as one of my cast mates said, it's like watching Laurie do A Chorus Mime ...she was very animated and very funny...the amazing thing was, we blocked everything from the groups of 4 through the alternatives scene and the finale with her not speaking a single word....it was an incredible and memorable experience...

		Front to Back: Bill Nagle (MIKE); Jeff Berger (AL),Andy Swansberg (MARK), Tim Devaney (BOBBY); Jeff Kwong (PAUL), Suzanne Cassidy (DIANA), Eric Ellis (GREG), Danny Romard (DON) - "taking a break during the Cassie number"

		Of course, there was our episode where life imitated art - we were rehearsing the circle in the Bows....2 days before we opened...our Bebe tripped and hurt her ankle - we all stopped and literally lived out the 'Paul fall scene'...someone went and got a dance bag to prop up her leg, we got her some prescription motrin (no darvon this time), we fortunately had a doctor on site, and then we carried her off...and we were all left with that numbness/shock/reality check that happens during the "alternatives" section...everyone sort of drew their inspiration around that moment....our Bebe ended up being okay...we had a cover for her for some performances, but she managed to do most of the shows. Finally, my thoughts on playing PAUL....I read that book What They Did for Love and I guess I had a moment much like Sammy Williams.....not sure how accurate the book is, but it said that during the audition process, Michael made Sammy re-tell the Paul story from memory and Sammy just "talked" - he cried, he couldn't finish the story...Well, for me it was much the same way...I was told that I did a really good job with my monologue, but the truth is - a lot of it was very real for me...and every night I felt like I was telling my story to a certain extent....and perhaps that's what made it "real" for the audience and for me...I told Laurie that the first time I heard Paul's monologue I was 16 years old....I had just come out to my parents..I was ashamed, I hid things from them...and all I really wanted was to hear those words, "we love you and you're still our son"....well for me it took 5 years to hear those words, but when they said it, it was the most amazing experience, I felt whole - I felt loved, there was this overwhelming sense of comfort and acceptance - very similar to the way that "Paul" feels when his father says, "take good care of my son".....during my coming out years...I drew strength from seeing A Chorus Line and it was always a dream of mine to portray Paul.....I told Laurie all of this and told her 'thanks for making my dreams come true'....we both looked at each other and started to cry....it was a very emotional show for me... As for Laurie, she was the best....her dedication to this show shines through with everything she does....you not only see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice...but you feel it from her soul.....her dedication and enthusiasm for this show was infectious...and she was able to share all of that with us....and I will never forget this experience for as long as I live. Jeff Kwong May 2002
Dana Moore (Sheila), Jeff Kwong (Paul), Russell Garrett (Zach) "the finale" -just after we finished a show and yes, those are the costumes from the NYC company.

	Jeff Kwong (PAUL) with Laurie Gamache (CASSIE)


	When I saw this show one week after it won every Tony Award possible I thought to myself - wow will I ever be that good to do what they are doing? I stood in the back - my favorite place - and watched the line - watched every move - and started to cry because I wanted that so much -it answered so many questions for me - At that time I never thought - in my wildest imagination - that I would be sitting talking with the women I saw that afternoon - let alone asking for her endorsement on working together and creating something that I feel is special enough to develop. And to add to that dancing with the Donna out in California - When we were putting that production together - I had the small soft shoe to do with Charity in I Love To Cry At Weddings - The gesture was to offer my hand to hers and then begin - At that moment of contact I had completed a circle and started to get so emotional they had to stop and ask if I was alright - I stopped the rehearsal cold and said publicly how honored I was to be dancing with Ms. McKechnie - and that as a young man standing in the back of the Shubert that fateful week I never thought this was possible. *Jonathan Cerullo* May 2002


	I first landed on The Line in 1992 when I played Mark in a production in San Diego. Laterthat same year I was sitting on the sideline as Larry in Moonlight Amphitheatre's production. I have gone on to do *ACL* many more times. In the last few years Kay Cole and I have become friends and I assisted her and played the role of Don Kerr in American Musical Theatre of San Jose's production. I was a very last minute replacement in Austin Musical Theatre's production of ACL whentheir Don twisted his ankle in the opening number. I just happened to be there visiting my girlfriend, Laura Hornberger, who was playing Kristine. The director, whom I had worked with before, heard I was in town and called. The next day and four hours of rehearsal with the dance captain later, I went on. What a rush! *Russell Nickerson* March 2002

All of my life I have been a huge fan of A Chorus Line. I grew up in Texas, so I was far from Broadway, but I remember being ten years old, watching the movie version... and crying because I didn't think Diana Morales was chosen. I said, "Mommy, why did he send her to the back again?" "Just watch," my mother said. And then, when I realized that she was chosen, I cried even more. My mother was never quite sure what to make of me. Suddenly it became my all-time favorite musical. Nothing would ever top it. I bought the CD and searched everywhere for the movie soundtrack until I finally found it.

When I was eighteen, my mother called me to tell me that she had just bought my birthday present: A Chorus Line was touring through Dallas and she bought me tickets.

To think that a musical could bring so much joy to my life was unfathomable to her, but she knew that it would. My best friend and I went, and it was amazing.

But the excitement continues... I am now twenty-four years old, and along with a few friends, have started a theater company. We can only afford to stage one musical a year, and I am proposing that we do...of course...A Chorus Line!

Thank you for bringing the tour to Texas so that I could experience A Chorus Line first hand.

Jeremy D. Henry
Abilene Actor's Guild at
The Warehouse Theatre
Abilene, TX
March 2002


	I can't even begin to express how much A CHORUS LINE has had an effect on my life. I remember my aunt taking me to see my first Broadway show. We went against the wishes of my overbearing father and went into the city to see a show. It was the perfect first-time theater experience...we got our tickets from TKTS and walked the streets of New York to the Shubert Theatre where we were seeing a show up until that moment I had never heard of: A CHORUS LINE. We were seated in the balcony, and I remember being fixated from the very moment the opening number began. In order to assure myself of seeing everything I actually knelt in front of my seat, leaning over the seat in front of me just so I could get a better look at the dancing, the acting, the singing. It was a profound moment in my life. I knew RIGHT THEN AND THERE that a career in theater, no matter how hard it would be, was what I wanted more than ANYTHING. I was too young to completely understand everything about the stories these gypsies were telling--but as I grew up and have experienced life in the theater, it became clearer why this show was and is so remarkable and so important. And it's not just because it's my favorite musical of all time! Thanks for the website! *Matthew MacDermid* Actor/Singer Daytona Beach, FL December 19, 2001


	I just wanted to share my story. I have been a singer for most of my life, but was never quite sure what direction I wanted to take that in. Then when I was a Junior in High School, I saw the original cast of *ACL* on "The Phil Donahue Show". The show opened with the cast singing "What I Did For Love", followed later by Kelly Bishop, Nancy Lane and Kay Cole singing "At The Ballet". By this time I was in tears! I knew at that point that I had to be in ACL one day, which ultimately pointed me in the Musical Theatre direction. I was lucky enough to be cast in a production of A Chorus Line in 1995, and it was the best experience of my life. Thank you all so much for sharing your lives and changing mine! I now enjoy working in the theatre, and look forward to the opportunity of putting myself "on the line" again and again. *W. Paul Silva* 21 October 2001


	A Chorus Line has totally shaped my life for the future. Watching everyone this summer made me realize how much I wanted this to be apart of my life. I can even identify with the character's stories and the play's subtextual meaning. Whenever someone asked me what my favorite show was, I couldn't really give an answer. None that I saw had a major impact on my life the way that *A Chorus Line* does. So now it is obvious that *ACL* is my favorite show of all times and forever will be. I have you to thank for that! I am so proud to be apart of the *ACL* family. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope to work with you again in the future. Your teachings are valuable tools that I will use throughout life. *Lisa Burrascano* 13 October 2001 Note from Baayork: Lisa was one of the Apprentices for the 2001 rehearsals (Zoie Lamb, Lesli Weisner, Bart St. Clair and Lisa Burrascano)


	When I was younger I used to watch A Chorus Line: The Movie ALL the time. It was clearly one of my favorites. My favorite song was always "At The Ballet." The thought of everything being perfect for a time - living in that world of perfection - was a dream to me, and I could definitely relate. Though I wouldn't realize until I grew up, how much I was like the character Sheila. "Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic - more like a come as you are." How true. I always found comfort in watching the movie - that was my "ballet" and everything was indeed beautiful. Theatre became my life, and despite many telling me I won't make it, I still press on. Although, I never TRULY believed that until recently. I met and became friends with an A Chorus Line alumni member: Vicki Frederick. Never putting two and two together that she was the one I had watched over and over as a child. She became one of my many inspirations - and a very good friend. She has encouraged me, and being the modest person that she is, I never knew anything more than that at one point, she had danced on Broadway. I have seen through her that it is possible for my "impossible dreams" to come true, and I am working even harder now to achieve them.
		H.T. Smith Connecticut


	A CHORUS LINE has changed my life; I was CASSIE in Vienna, Austria, in 1989 at the Raimond Theater for one year and it was my first musical ever. I used to be a principal ballet dancer with the Hamburg opera, Basel opera and went to the States to guest with Cincinnati, Chicago,etc...until one day, the big tragedy happened when I hurt my leg so badly in Chicago while dancing. When the doctors came they told me I could say goodbye to my career; I was devastated. I had support from my frieds who told me to start to sing and act. I didn't think it could have been possible for me to do this; well, I started and had so much fun doing it. I did years of it until I decided to start to audition while I was in NYC; I auditioned 2 or 3 times a week for a year while nothing happened and then Baayork hired me to do *A Chorus Line. It was a miracle for me;my new life started. But especially I believed that God gave me a second chance to do what I loved to do. Meeting Baayork changed my whole life: not only on a professional level, but on a human level as well. The role of Cassie suited me like a glove; to work on that role with her opened me up again and made me discover so much deepness in me that I didn't even know was there!!! It made me grow as a woman and a human being and also helped me release so much from my past. Because Baayork works on a very deep level, so honestly and on a human level; yes,she was tough, but with love. I must laugh today because Cassie's dance is very hard and Baayork was preparing me every day; sometimes I couldn't make it till the end. But there she was running after me in the manege to help me raise my energy:and suddenly I just dropped on the floor and was gone; she got scared while I was laying there. But every thing was just fine; she just pushed me a little hard to get the best out of me. I tell you, after only 10 days ,I was in shape!!! I realized I lived a second dream - doing what I loved to do and being well paid for it. Since then, I haven't stopped working successfully in musicals in Europe:Bomballerina in Cats* in Vienna;Demeter in *Cats* in Paris;the European tour of *Cats; Anita in West Side Story* in Paris; Madame Thenardier in Les Misérables in Paris; Claire in *On the Town* in Hamburg; *Piaf* in Paris; Barnum , Sunset Boulevard in Frankfurt, La Cage aux Folles in Paris; Lilianna la Fleur in *Nine* in Berlin; No No Nanette...etc.... I live now in Paris where I come from and I am still in the business and doing well; if anyone wants to get in touch with me,I'll be glad to hear from you. One other thing I didn't say is that before I knew I was going to do the show , I took a four-month musical theater class with Donna McKechnie at HB studio. Hello to every one and God bless you.
		Laure Balon Paris


	I saw *A Chorus Line* during its original Broadway run. I was in my early twenties. At the time, I missed the universal connection in this theatrical piece. From that night onward, I referred to *ACL* as "the musical about dancers!" It was not until the end of 2000 that, I gained a new appreciation about the genius of Edward Kleban and the universality of A Chorus Line. *A Class Act* brought everything into focus for me. Last Saturday, September 08, 2001, on the Paper Mill stage, Millburn, NJ, I connected with a lot of the songs. "I Hope I Get It" reminded me of drafting résumés and going on job interviews. "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love" reminded me of the awkwardness of my teenage years. I saw myself again dealing with raging hormones, physical changes, first love, peer pressure and an identity crisis. "Nothing" reminded me of all of those times that I was supposed to feel grief and my feelings were numb. Paul's Monologue has a musical quality all of its own. It resonates true to life. Whether you are straight or gay, you can understand his need for parental approval. My sensitivity always made me feel like a freak. I was the writer in the family. My parents, never, openly expressed their true feelings towards me. "At the Ballet" reminded me of the escapism that the theater has always provided for this individual. All of my life I have had to deal with one form of abuse or another. Being in the audience, watching a performance, flexed my imagination. "What I Did for Love" reminded me of past mistakes and broken relationships. Using love as a point of departure, it validated all of my actions. At the end, for the first time, "A Chorus Line" felt like "one, singular sensation."
		Julio Bernal, Elizabeth, NJ

	A message from Yogi Aoi ( Japanese translator of ACL) sent to the PMP Cast: I had such a happy afternoon! Thank you very much to you all. I am so happy to find A Chorus Line is still new and lively both in message and in style. It's a story about us forever. It's a story about people who devote every single moment of their lives to theatre. It's a story about people who live their lives honestly and enthusiastically through every possible difficulty of our time. In our new century, "What I did for Love" should still be a national anthem for our nation called "theatre". Yogi Aoi


What more to say about A Chorus Line but the most amazing piece of performance art to grace the NY stage, and stages all over the world. I wasn't old enough to see *ACL* on Broadway, but I remember people talking about it. I'll never forget when I heard the Original Cast Recording for the first time, in my headset driving to Hershey Park, PA. From that day on A Chorus Line was a part of my life. As a child I always wanted to be a performer but the fear of rejection kept me behind the scenes, which I have an equal love for now. But I have been in dozens of shows and performances, and I understand the need to perform. That is the thing that is so amazing about ACL. This show is about people who can not think of anything else, and that is to perform. The feeling you get when you watch this cast talk about their lives makes you wonder if fate brought them together on that day. *ACL* brought my best friends and me closer together; it has sparked countless conversations, and has made car rides memorable. The day I met Baayork Lee my *Chorus Line* Love strenthened. I thank her immensely for taking the time to talk to my best friend and me. She is one lady who has taken Broadway in the hand and walked with it with her feet on the ground. She was one of the sweetest women I have ever met, and it makes me happy to know that you don't have to be famous and have your head in the clouds. And that is one of the themes of *ACL*, actors all striving for one thing, happiness. Baayork has surely found it!
		*Karen Kentrus*
	Editor's note: Karen is the Production Administrator at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ, the final stop of the 2001 Tour directed by Baayork Lee.

Have you ever been touched by A Chorus Line? This page will offer you an opportunity to share your experiences as either a performer or a member of the audience. Write a one-sentence review or a short tribute, and submit it to us for publication on the site.

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