8 September 2001

Last night was a star-studded evening at Paper Mill Playhouse, for the opening of A Chorus Line. In his preshow speech, Artisic Director Robert Johanson warmed the audience with his introduction of some of the Original Cast Members. How thrilling it was for me to see my Chorus Line brothers and sisters.

LAURIE KRAFT, (Swing and Assistant Stage manager) said that as the cast was warming up in the wings and the names were announced, their eyes got bigger and bigger. If they weren't nervous before they were now. The energy and tension on that stage was tremendous. I was a wreck in the back of the house as the Line did their kicks at the end and the lights slowly went out. I was so proud of the cast and the entire performance. We only had 5 days to put it all together again. And "EVERY HEAD, BODY ANGLE '' was exactly the same. Now for the Who's Who.

THOMMIE WALSH (ORIGINAL BOBBY) Looked so handsome signing his book ON THE LINE :THE CREATION OF A CHORUS LINE. The proceeds from the book sales are being given to the ACTORS FUND for patients with AIDS.

PRICILLA LOPEZ (ORIGINAL DIANE) Came out with her husband,VINNIE FANUELLI, and their two children ALEX and GABRIELA. Those Chorus Line kids have really grown.

KELLY BISHOP (ORIGINAL SHIELA) flew in from LA for the opening. She had just left the set of her TV Show GILMORE GIRL to be with us. She looked stunning with her Radio Host husband LEE LEONARD.

CLIVE CLERK WILSON (ORIGINAL LARRY) grabbed me and whispered how much he enjoyed the production. He loved the casting and said "we didn't dance that good in 75".

DONNA DRAKE (ORGINAL TRISHA) looked so beautful in her peach satin dress as she posed for photographers. Donna was the assistant choreograper for THE WIZARD OF OZ that Papermill produced.

SAMMY WILLIAMS (Original Paul) Flew in from California for the opening. Sammy looks great. He arrived with his producer; they're working on a show entitled TOO OLD TO BE IN THE CHORUS.They hope to be mounting a production very soon. I saw Sammy in a reading last year and he was wonderful. Let's hope he gets back on the boards, that Tony Award Winner. He also brought his sister along. I hadn't seen her in ages. Thanks for coming Sammy. I'm doing lunch with him next week and I'll let you all know more about him.

MITZI HAMILTON (VAL) looked stunning with her short haircut. She e-mailed me to say she was thrilled to be a part of the Opening Night and really enjoyed the evening. Mitzi, it was so wonderful to have you there supporting me and the company. I hope you get to use some of the talent you saw last night in your future ACL productions. They're a great group.

DONNA McKECHNIE (Original CASSIE) called to say that she was still performing COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA in Connecticut and wishes she could have been with us for this exciting event. We missed you DONNA. She will be performing at Paper Mill on October 2. Hope you all can get out to see her.

ALYCE GILBERT(WARDROBE SUPERVISOR B'WAY) and her husband BILL BRIGGS were on hand to make sure the costumes looked up to snuff. Thank you Alyce, it's alway so good to have her calming force around.

RICHARD WINKLER (Lighting Designer) was beaming as we all stood in the courtyard watching the press go crazy. Richard reproduced the lighting design from Broadway. We haven't seen that plot in ages. Richard, the lighting is stunning. Thank You. Of course a very big thanks goes to Tharon Musser.

ABE JACOB (Sound Designer) was all dressed up and all smiles. Abe it was a thrill having you on board.

OTTS MUNDERLOH (Sound B'way) called to say he was sorry he couldn't come to the opening. He's the designer for the new Off B'way show REEFER MADNESS and is also working with MANDY PATINKIN at the Neil Simon. Then he'll fly out to be with the CHICAGO LYRIC OPERA to do sound for STREET SCENE. Since OTTS moved back home to Baltimore we get to see him more often in New York. Happy you're around OTTS.

ZOIE LAMB (CONNIE VISA TOUR) came by before the show with her husband to wish me luck. Zoie, thank you for the lovely flowers. By the way, I wore the beautiful necklace Zoie gave me. She has great taste.

MARK EVANS (MIKE B'WAY TOUR OF AMERICA) said he started crying as soon as he heard the piano start. Mark has given up the business, but after last night I'm not too sure.

ROBER VIGAS, co-author of ON THE LINE: THE CREATION OF A CHORUS LINE was on hand to sign books and meet all of us again. The book came out in 1990 and he hadn't seen some of the originals since the last performance at the Shubert Theater. Robert is with THEATER.COM .

DICK MILLER, an agent back in the 70's, interviewed me for the Radio show he has out in New Jersey. He knew me back in the GOLDEN BOY days when his client TERENCE MILES and I were shoe shine boys.

PETER HOWARD was on had to support me, as always. He told me his son Jason just got married last Sunday. CONGRATULATIONS! Peter is so dear to my heart. When we went to Italy to do CABARET, we went sightseeing all over the east coast on our days off. I saw more with Peter in one summer than I had in the 10 years I had been working there. Love you Peter.

DOUGLAS LELAND, from showbizz2000 and the co-producer of A NEW BRAIN, was all smiles when he left. So glad he could make it.

ROBERT V. STRAUS and his lovely wife MARGUERITE made their second trip to see one of my productions. They came all the way to Xenten, Germany to see JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Marguerite, the principal at PS 1 in Chinatown, my old stomping grounds, thought the show was very good. She gave me good grades for both productions. Thanks Ms. Straus!

AUCHEE LEE, my brother, brought his friend JANE SOUDAVAR, who owns JANE'S BOUTIQUE on Lexington Ave. Let's hope A Chorus Line has a long run somewhere so I can shop at JANE'S.

BRUCE JANIGA was on hand to meet everyone and to take photos for our website. He brought along SAM NORKIN and his wife FRANCIE. Sam is the wonderful caricaturist whose rendering of A Chorus Line was published in the Daily News when we first opened. Bruce also is webmaster for www.samnorkin.com and a contributor to www.sondheim.com. Sam brought his sketchpad and pencils with him so keep your eyes open for some new artwork of The Line.

All the original cast members got to take photos with their counterparts in the show. We got to pose all together for the Press. It was like old times, when we were the "Toast of B'way" 26 years ago. We went right back into that gear, posing, giving TV interviews and answering all the many questions the actors have about their roles. You all are so wonderful, still sharing and putting yourselves out there. THANK YOU All FOR YOUR LOVE AND CONTINUAL SUPPORT.

FABRIZO ANGELINI (PAUL, DANCE CAPTAIN ITALY) said he was so emotional watching the show. Then his Dance Captain mode kicked in and he was checking to see if everyone was together in the ONEs. He quickly talked himself out of that and enjoyed the rest of the show. Meeting SAMMY WILLIAMS was a high point for him. He brought along ANTONIO, his mate, who spoke no English. With Fabrizo translating, he told me he experienced the same emotions last night watching Paul as when he saw it in Italy. Fabrizio and Antonio, have a safe trip home.

It was so good to MRS. DENICE FREUND wife of BRITT, he's playing Tom for this production. I asked about their dog CUDDLES who was Mama Rose's pet in GYPSY I directed down at Signature Theater in Virginia. By the way BRITT was my Tulsa in that productions and got great reviews. It's alway so nice to see Denice around, she's got such a warm smile.

Three days before we opened at rehearsal our KURT KELLY (Larry) fell and pulled a muscle. It was the PAUL scene, with Zack (MARK BOVE) and Cassie (CAITLIN CARTER) taking over and getting the guys to carry him off. CHEYNNE (covering Larry) had to go on that night for the orchestra dress. He did a great job then and at last night's opening . By the way, CHYENNE had just gotten off a plane from Germany after being in Koln for 2 years playing in SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.

A stomach virus was running around the company at the same time and our ERIC DYSART (Richie ) was out. This meant we need another body to play 'Wrong Arms Roy' in the opening. We called upon MARK HOEBEE (assistant Artistic Director at Paper Mill) to please help. Well, he didn't miss a beat and danced his tush off. Thanks MARK.

PARKER ESSE to the rescue. I called him the night before and asked what he was doing now that FOSSE had closed. He arrived the next day, with dance shoes, finale shoes, every color dance pants, jeans and sweat shirts. ROY MILLER Associate Producer, signed him on immediately. He was off and running at rehearsals and played 'Wrong Arms Roy' Opening Night. Thanks PARKER, you did a great job.

On the Thursday preview, YOGI AOI (Japanese Translator of ACL) brought 15 of his students to see the show. The cast was so excited to meet him as he told Michael Bennett stories. He said Michael had spent many hours explaining all the details of the show and complimented the company by saying he was not disappointed. If you didn't know, the SHIKI COMPANY has performed ACL in Japanese every year since 1978.

I had breakfast with MICHELE RENZULLO (Zack cover and co producer ACL Italy) He was sorry he couldn't come to the opening but he had already gotten tickets for THE PRODUCERS. He filled me in on all the Italian cast and will have 4 shows running at the same time next season. Grease, Hello,Dolly, Dance ( an original show) and Little Shop of Horrors. Congratulations. I am so happy I was there at the beginning with ACL. It's so nice to see how your company has grown and how musical theatre has taken off in Italy. Safe trip home Michele.

JULIE DURO (asst. lighting designer) e-mailed to say she was sorry she couldn't make opening night. You were missed Julie, your work on the show was priceless as always.

RON GUNIERI (Production Stage Manager - Nikko Tour) also missed the opening. He's rehearsing MY FAIR LADY, a Troika Production for the road. Good luck RON, keep in touch.

Thank you PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE for giving us such a wonderful home for six weeks. We have been hosted by ANGELO DEL ROSSI, ROBERT JOHANSON, ROY MILLER, MARK HOEBEE and MICHAEL MILLER. Thank you for all your support and your wonderful staff.

It's not everyday you are given a Michael Bennett team to put on your show. My creative team included FRAN LIEBERGALL (Assistant Musical Director B'way), MICHAEL GORMAN (Bobby B'way) Assistant and Dance Captain, RICHARD WINKLER (Assistant Lighting Designer B'way), ABE JACOB (Sound Designer B'way) and ALYCE GILBERT (Wardrobe Supervisor B'way ). WHAT MORE CAN A GIRL ASK FOR !!!!!!!!!!!!

A special thanks to MICHAEL GORMAN (Assistant and Dance Captain) who worked so hard in maintaining the company on this tour. MICHAEL you've done a great job. The company looked as clean as a whistle opening night.

Was present at the opening night performance of the last leg of the mini national tour of A CHORUS LINE directed and Choreographed by the ebulient Baayork Lee. PaperMill Playhouse, in Milburn, New Jersey is the last stop(?) for this amazing production. Not since the original cast has so much talent been assembled in one production...

Opening night hosted by Angelo DelRossi and Robert Johanson assisted ably by Patrick Parker, the lovely Alison Franck, Charlie Siedenburg and Bill Schelbe(celebrity direction). Several members of the original cast were in attendance Kelly Bishop, Priscilla Lopez, Sammy Williams, Mitzi Hamilton, Thommie Walsh and Donna Drake amongst others.

The A+ cast was top notch...the fun began with Halden Michaels as the dancer who couldn't stop watching his feet(soon eliminated dramatically). Shane Rhoades as Mike wowed the audience with I CAN DO THAT! DJ Chase(.."from 'da Bronx!" ) and Raegan Pierce as Al and Kristine, such perfection as a couple, had the place in hysterics with SING! and when Miki Yamashita (Connie Wong) and Robert Tunstall (Bobby), the shortest and tallest cast members were paired up...the audience roared!

But the evening belonged to Nadine Isenegger as Val, dissing the statuesque and wisecracking, Sheila played by Kim Shriver, and gymnist sized Cindy Marchionda's dual triumph as Morales with NOTHING and WHAT I DID FOR LOVE. Finally, Luis Villabon, as Paul, brought the audience to tears with his powerful monologue. A fine dancer and singer, Luis proved himself the pivotal character. Instead of chewing up the scenery, he chose truth, truth and more truth! A highly polished performance. Kudos all around!!!! It plays through October 14th!

A Chorus Line
By Adam Feldman

A Broadway chorus might execute the most intricate, layered, complex dance routine in the history of musical theater, and yet receive no response from its audience beyond quiet appreciation. To drive the crowd wild, only the simplest steps will do. What it is about a kickline that makes us slap our hands together like trained seals? In a genre that tends to celebrate the triumph of the quirky individual (Fanny Brice, Annie Oakley) against a world of conformity, the homogeneity of chorus dancers retains a counterbalancing allure. Not for nothing are they routinely praised for their “discipline.”

The genius stroke of Michael Bennett’s 1975 smash A Chorus Line was to demolish the illusion of sameness that defines the unbroken line, and show us the dancers as discrete personalities. In the musical’s famous opening sequence, an anxious group of dancers, auditioning for spots in the chorus of an upcoming Broadway show, are drilled on dance combinations they have just been taught. Soon their ranks are thinned to 17 young men and women, from various backgrounds, competing for eight available parts. Over the next two hours, without intermission, each gets a chance to step forward and talk about their personal histories and hopes for the future. The director for whom they’re auditioning, Zach, sits at the back of the theater, so the dancers speak and sing directly to the audience. At the end of the play, Zach makes his eight selections, and all that remains is the ironic finale, “One”—a glitzy number in which the disparate characters we have come to know are fused once more into uniformity, dancing as one in gold suits and top hats. Toward the end of the song, the music slows to a cakewalk, and the dancers go to the back of the stage. Step, kick, step, kick. The audience, half-forgetting what it now knows, erupts with pleasure.

Michael Bennett did not write the music for A Chorus Line. Marvin Hamlisch did; Edward Kleban wrote the lyrics, and James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante collaborated on the book. Yet A Chorus Line is indisputably Michael Bennett’s show. It was Bennett who conceived, directed, and choreographed the original production, perhaps the summit of the Broadway musical’s auteur period in the late 1960s and 1970s, and the show bears the stamp of his singular, sensational vision. A show defined by its score or its book—a Cole Porter show, say, or a Rodgers and Hammerstein show—leaves room for future productions to refashion the material in inventive ways; not so with a show defined by its direction. The current revival of A Chorus Line at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, is thus something of a time capsule. Why mess with perfection? Bennett’s staging has been meticulously recreated by Baayork Lee, a member of the show’s original Broadway cast. The physical elements of the 1975 production—Robin Wagner’s set, Theoni Aldredge’s costumes, and Tharon Musser’s lighting design—remain more or less untouched.

Where the Paper Mill Chorus Line differs from the original, of course, is in its performers. All dance as well as one would hope; the musical remains an astonishing display of expressive athleticism and energy. As is often the case with large ensembles, the acting and singing are less even. A Chorus Line was conceived as a glimpse into the real lives of Broadway gypsies, so if ever a musical called for naturalistic acting, this is it. Every false note rings loudly, and some of the actors might wish to bring their acting down a notch. Others fare better: Mark Bove is appropriately authoritative as Zach, the voice of power; Nadine Isenegger is deliciously confident as the surgically enhanced Val; Robert Tunstall offers an amusingly weird Bobby, Charlene Carr underplays nicely as Maggie, nailing her piercing solo in “At the Ballet.” Cindy Marchionda, as Morales, looks more like a gymnast than a dancer, but has the right blunt sincerity for the part. As Cassie, the star dancer trying to fit back into the line, Caitlin Carter looks marvelous but lacks distinctiveness; in her big solo, “The Music and the Mirror,” she hits her marks but does not communicate the desperate need, the sense of grasping for freedom through movement, that made Donna McKechnie a star in the role. The emotional heart of this production is not Cassie but the sensitive Paul, whose climactic monologue is rendered simply and movingly by Luis Villabon.

Much has changed since 1975, on Broadway and off. As we travel on, A Chorus Line registers more and more as a period piece, if not quite a museum piece. But if the experience has lost some of its immediacy, it remains an exciting, sometimes touching show. Someday, perhaps, a new auteur will dramatically re-conceive and transform the show, but it seems unlikely that Bennett’s staging will ever be bettered. Those who never saw the original, or who long to see it again, will not be disappointed by what the Paper Mill has to offer.

by Martin Denton · September 8, 2001

It's been eleven years since A Chorus Line was on Broadway; boy, do we need it back. As the magnificent recreation of this landmark show at Paper Mill Playhouse reminds us, here is a musical that is superbly crafted and superbly entertaining; a musical with heart; a musical that cares about things and wants us to care about things, too. Humans cannot live on Urinetown and Chicago alone, no matter how much fun they may be:the Chorus Lines are, finally, the shows to cherish.

The place is a theatre in New York City, the time is 1975. The event is an audition for eight roles in an upcoming Broadway musical. By the end of A Chorus Line's electric opening number, "I Hope I Get It," choreographer Zach has narrowed down his choices to seventeen finalists. Over the course of the next two hours, he–and we–will get to know these seventeen people pretty well, as they talk about their lives, their feelings, their hopes, and their fears; putting themselves on the line, if you will, to get on the Line. Sure, this pretense has Device written all over it, but the ends justify the means here: after all, isn't every human enterprise the product of the passionate, committed souls who make it up? And aren't those souls worth knowing?

That's the Big Idea of A Chorus Line; the beauty of the show is that it makes it work, and pay off, with glorious, jubilant results. Tracing the lives of its seventeen dancers, separately and jointly, and from birth to death (more or less), A Chorus Line celebrates humanity and its unwavering faith in a cause. (That the cause here is that elusive but wonderful organism called the Broadway Musical makes the theme no less valid, by the way, and if you don't believe me, check in with the folks who line up outside the St. James Theatre every morning, hoping to land a ticket to The Producers.)

Through songs, musical scenes, and the occasional monologue, authors Marvin Hamlisch (music), Edward Kleban (lyrics), and Nicolas Dante and James Kirkwood (book) introduce us to characters smart and dumb, cloying and quirky, confident and overcompensating. We meet Mike, who's been dancing since he was just a tot ("I Can Do That"); Diana, the would-be actress whose first experience at acting class was nearly catastrophic ("Nothing"); and Val, who scoped out the competition at auditions and determined that what she needed most to succeed was plastic surgery ("Dance: Ten, Looks: Three"). In one of the show's most blissfully evocative moments, three women reminisce about their unhappy childhoods, and discover that each of them found the same asylum and release at the ballet. And in the show's twin central show-stopping moments, we watch as former featured dancer Cassie and former drag show "pony" Paul explain, as best they can, why–to quote Chorus Line's most famous lyric–they can't regret what they did for love.

It's sometimes clunky, and often overly earnest: A Chorus Line wears its heart and its good intentions on its sleeve as unabashedly and unapologetically as an episode of "M*A*S*H." The quality of the craftsmanship is what makes it special. Original cast member Baayork Lee has recreated Michael Bennett's original direction and Bennett's and Bob Avian's original choreography with remarkable felicity, with the result that we can see, once again, what may be one of the finest stagings ever of a Broadway musical. From the familiar lineup of hopefuls holding up their resumes at the show's beginning to the electrifying high-kicks of the finale, there's not a false step, nor a wasted one. The dancing is, as you'd expect, quite wonderful; the choreography depicting dancers learning choreography is gorgeous, and the sparkling pizzazz of that final combination--all sleek lines and contained explosions--ends the evening on a thrilling and joyous high note.

It's a little startling to realize that A Chorus Line has, indeed, dated. The punch line of Val's song ("Tits and ass") no longer can draw even nervous giggles, and Paul's saga of life in a drag revue feels quaint: La Cage Aux Folles and Rent and The Full Monty all came after A Chorus Line (and indeed were made possible by it). But, no matter: this show still works.

It's been cast rather well here at the Paper Mill, with the entire company deserving of highest praise. Cheyenne (subbing as the assistant choreographer Larry at the show reviewed), Shane Rhoades (Mike), and Robert Tunstall (Bobby) contribute some of the most memorable dancing; and Nadine Isenegger (Val), Kim Shriver (Sheila), Charlene Carr (Maggie), Cindy Marchionda (Diana), and Luis Villabon (Paul) deliver standout performances.

To quote another lyric from the score, A Chorus Line remains, nearly three decades after its premiere, a singular sensation. You won't find it on Broadway right now, but it's certainly worth the trip to Millburn, New Jersey to catch up with it.

A Chorus Line

Paper Mill Playhouse - New Jersey

September 7, 2001

Complex as love is, one fact is simple -- everything else fades when the real thing shows up. At a time when the Broadway musical scene is dominated by recycled cartoons, pseudo-operas and comic pastiches, seeing A Chorus Line in all its glory at The Paper Mill Playhouse is a revelation. This masterwork does not merely entertain. It takes you on an emotional roller coaster of joy, despair, and triumph, finally affirming that, win or lose, life goes on.

Contact? Fosse? The Producers? Oh please. One look at A Chorus Line, and your perspective on these so-called musicals is altered forever. There is nothing like the real thing. Once again, we are reminded that truly great musicals must have brains, heart and courage. More than a quarter century after its premiere, A Chorus Line remains one of the ultimate expressions of what the musical theater can be.

The book by Nicholas Dante and James Kirkwood remains a creative marvel, bringing together twenty six characters in one powerful stream of consciousness. Marvin Hamlisch's melodies deftly mix showbiz razzmatazz with hints of mid-70's pop, and Edward Kleban's lyrics have lost none of their eloquence. The original orchestrations by Bill Byers, Hershy Kay and Jonathan Tunick may sound a bit dated at times, but they are as satisfying to the ear as the voice of an old friend. Would that I had aged half as well as this material has!

Baayork Lee, who played Connie ("4 Foot 10!") in the original production, has done more than just re-create Michael Bennett and Bob Avian's definitive staging. She has given this revival the electricity of a new work. While there are no stars in the cast, there is plenty of star quality. Lee wisely lets this troupe find their own fresh connection to characters who must dance off their butts and bear their souls to win jobs in a Broadway chorus.

This ensemble gels beautifully. Like Cassie says, they're all special, but there are some standouts. Kim Shriver scores as the formidable Sheila, Caitlin Carter is a touching Cassie, and Mark Bove is perfect as Zach, the often hateful director. Cindy Marchionda stops the show with Diana's "What I Did for Love," as does Nadine Isenegger with Val's delicious "Dance: Ten, Looks: Three."

At one point, the music, dance and razzle dazzle stop. On a dark stage in a solo spotlight, the soft-spoken Paul exposes his painful past in a heart rending monologue. It is one of the most challenging moments the musical theater has ever offered to an actor, and Luis Villabon blew the opening night audience away with it. This is a searing, breakout performance that literally took my breath away.

By the by, while all of Bennett & Avian's choreography looks as glorious as ever, "One" remains the most moving, heart-pounding finale the musical theater has ever known. Seeing it again didn't just take me back -- it sent me soaring.

Once again, Paper Mill Playhouse has confirmed its place as a musical theater-lover's heaven on earth. So get on out to Millburn for this first-class revival of A Chorus Line -- and remind yourself what the real thing feels like