When A Chorus Line set a record as the
longest running show in Broadway history, a New York Times journalist asked Joe
Papp, its producer, to explain the longevity of the show. Joe simply said "It's
a good show."
The reporter may have expected a more profound answer, but
actually he got one. A Chorus Line is one of the ten best musicals ever
produced. Hell, one could easily make a case that it is the best. The
show about an audition that is part of the process of creating a work for the
stage is itself the quintessence of the Broadway musical. But A Chorus
Line is much more that that. I know of no backstage story in any medium that
can equally and deeply touch all members of an audience like this one. The
person to your left could be an actual gypsy in the business, while the person
to your right could be a lawyer, a homemaker or a mechanic. The impact is the
same because we have all figuratively walked up to that line at points in our
lives. A Chorus Line
At the Schoenfeld Theatre last night, the stage manager began the
evening by announcing through the speakers: "Welcome to the last performance of
A Chorus Line on Broadway." I felt like a piece of my theatergoing life
was being carved out of my body.
But not that quickly. For the next
couple of hours, one iconic moment after another in the history of the Broadway
musical played for me one more time. This very faithful-to-the-original revival
opened two years ago as too much of a reproduction of a classic without enough
of its own personality, but it was still A Chorus Line in glorious
Broadway form. I saw it twice early on, and not again until last night. Too bad
it couldn't have opened like it played yesterday.
The show closed with
significant improvements in the cast and was performed more emotionally than
reverentially. I was quite impressed by Mario Lopez. This performer combines
good looks with the kind of ingratiating personality that would have
grandmothers pinching his cheeks. He convinced me far more than most actors I've
seen in this role that his character Zach is an ambitious hot-shot celebrity
director still on the way up, who can't get over his previous romantic
relationship with his muse, the dancer Cassie. Their scenes smoldered and
Jessica Lee Goldyn, who previously, in this revival's opening night cast, was
the best Val ("tits and ass") I ever saw, is a fabulous dancer who stopped the
show with Cassie's solo, "The Music and the Mirror."
Actually, this was
more than just stopping the show. Cassie's number was the first of three
mid-show standing ovations. Another occurred after Natalie Cortez as Diana sang
"What I Did for Love". The audience also stood throughout the finale "One:
Reprise". Yes, this closing performance was a clapping, shouting, whooping, and
standing love affair from a sold-out house.
There were many exciting
acting, singing and dancing turns last night from the 25-member cast. I'll just
congratulate Deidre Goodwin, who was disappointing when this revival opened, but
last night delivered a nuanced, funny and touching Sheila (the part that won
Kelly Bishop a Tony in 1976).
After the show ended, producer John Breglio
took the stage and brought up former cast members of this revival; the
orchestra; Bob Avian, the director and original co-choreographer; Baayork Lee,
the original Connie who has been re-staging the choreography all over the globe
for the past twenty-five years; Robin Wagner, the set designer; and Natasha
Katz, who adapted Tharon Musser's lighting for this production. Sadly, most of
the creators of A Chorus Line are deceased (composer Marvin Hamlisch is
in Australia and could not attend). Mr. Breglio paid tribute to them, ending
with Joe Papp and, last and foremost, the genius behind it all, Michael
Bennett.
I've probably seen A Chorus Line about 25 times (I've
lost count) over the years, far more times than any other play or musical. I've
even seen a college production. In no instance has the show ever lost my total
concentration and involvement for a minute. On Broadway, I was there on April
28, 1990 when the original production closed after a fifteen year run. I was
there again last night, August 17, 2008, when the first Broadway revival closed.
I have no doubt that A Chorus Line is the true "now and forever"
musical that we will be seeing again and again on Broadway in the future. (In
the meantime, this production is touring the country.) Or in the final words of
John Breglio, the last ones spoken from the Schoenfeld stage: "I don't want to
say goodbye. Till we meet again."
- Jesse
puts that across the way a laser beam hits its
target. |
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