4 guys attempt Cassie's "Music and the Mirror"- Page 2

[morosco]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:13pm

Next time you watch the black and white McKechnie "Music and the Mirror" note how fast the tempo is (has anyone danced it faster than her?) and remind yourself that she's not wearing a body mic. Amazing performance!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:34pm

Due to Ann Reinking's short torso and long legs, she was the only Cassie who didn't wear the red skirt. They first tried modifying the skirt length for her, but eventually gave up.

NOTE: Ann Reinking replaced Donna McKechnie in 1976 when virtually the entire original cast of A CHORUS LINE left to do the west coast/Los Angeles production.



...doing the Trumpet Solo in the "Sing! Sing! Sing!" number in 1978's DANCIN':

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:37pm

I thought Wanda sang it well, but when I watched the dance, I didn't know what to say. Karen Prunzik (sp?) was also excellent as Cassie.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:44pm

Have you seen Nancy Hess's performance? She peters out early in the number.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:46pm

I tried watching Nancy Hess, but it kept stopping.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:48pm

No..it was her who kept stopping lol

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:48pm

Reinking should consider herself lucky then. The costume looks fabulous on McKechnie but it is sooooo unflattering on everyone else I've seen it wear. The way it was designed for Ritcher, it makes her look laughable (she was too out of shape for to pull that costume off).
The comments on Ritcher's video explain that this was shot after she had given birth and she was understudying the role. Don't know if this is true, but God her Cassie looks like she wouldn't have made it past the first batch in "I Hope I Get It."

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 4:53pm

There was too much cheek in Wanda's performance.

Morosco, LOL!!

[morosco]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:02pm

Is the vid of Richert from a first class production? The reason I ask is because the mylar mirrors look like crap. I just can't imagine a Michael Bennett production of the show having mirrors that look that horrible.

Updated On: 3/10/08 at 05:02 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:26pm

Richert is either the tour or Broadway. However, her daughter was born in 1986, so the video is from before then because she did not return to it (at least from what I can find) after 1985.

Ok, the other Donna video should be up later tonight.

I'd love to find video of either Neuwirth or Reinking as Cassie.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:38pm

Due to the time period (1976), there is no video of Ann Reinking as Cassie. There IS an audio of a full performance with Ann as Cassie, and I have that.

The black & white footage of the original 1975 cast of A CHORUS LINE was done professionally for the Lincoln Center Archives -- it is not a bootlegged filming.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:41pm

The black & white footage of the original 1975 cast of A CHORUS LINE was done professionally for the Lincoln Center Archives -- it is not a bootlegged filming.

And it was filmed at The Public before the move to Broadway wasn't it? I'm assuming that because the mirrors are rolled on from the wings during Cassie's dance.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:46pm

Yup. That archive black & white film was shot at the Newman Theatre (at The Public Theatre) shortly before the show made its Broadway transfer to the Shubert Theatre.

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:48pm

In THE LONGEST LINE Ann said hey tried it without the skirt but it did not work well so it came back.

Did anyone else notice that in the video that this post is about the "reflection" had his leotard top on backwards?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:51pm

Anyway... I was fortunate to have seen Ann as Cassie back in 1976 (I was 11 years old), and both times (several months apart) she didn't wear the red skirt.

I have a photo of her standing in the line without the skirt. I should scan this puppy, huh?

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:51pm

And also, why is does the first guy look like he's having a seizure at the beginning?

Another question, does anyone in the revival even come close to anyone from the original cast?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:52pm

I thought some of the guys in the revival were ok, but mostly, no.

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 5:57pm

I know the picture.. it is in THE LONGEST LINE. She was only in the show for 4 months while Donna played wife to Michael.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 10:37pm

I'm experiencing technical difficulties with this video...I will make it work though, it just may take time.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/10/08 at 11:56pm

Husk, please let us know when it's ready if you get it to work.

Updated On: 3/10/08 at 11:56 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:10am

Ok...so it took like 30 years (or at least felt that way) but here it is:


The quality is shot because I couldn't get it to rip properly and we had to do a lot of conversion. The actual copy is almost pristine condition.
Donna Show us How It's Done

Updated On: 3/11/08 at 01:10 AM

[mateo]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:31am

Oh My GOD!!!!!

I am so lame; I started crying.

THANK YOU HUSK!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:43am

I sob like a baby anytime I watch her do it.

This is *my* show. This is what got me through High School.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:49am

Damn, she's so good!

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 2:07am

I love how NO ONE will ever be able to dance it or SING it like Donna. What a voice.