50th Anniversary Revival of A CHORUS LINE still on track for 2025? — Page 3

blaxx said: "I would love to see the finale with an approach where, after that long audition, we see a female Broadway diva up front, and the dancers singing "One" to her, fading in her shadow.

This to show the heart breaking reality of being in an ensemble where the leads in the chorus are really destined to remain in the back of the stage."

Just reading this...I always felt that that was a miss in the original production. It would have ended on such an ironic note. I assumed that Bennett wanted to celebrate the dancers to the very end, and went for an 'untrue' ending.

I wonder how many directors have requested to go back to having Cassie not make the cut.

Can we have 5 regional theaters across the country do this show 5 different ways? I'd like to see a few different takes on it. I mean, there's not much you can really change since it's bare bones as it comes, but maybe try some new choreography or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLDPAKj1Ew0

This version looks pretty cool.

Jarethan said: "blaxx said: "I would love to see the finale with an approach where, after that long audition, we see a female Broadway diva up front, and the dancers singing "One" to her, fading in her shadow.

This to show the heart breaking reality of being in an ensemble where the leads in the chorus are really destined to remain in the back of the stage."

Just reading this...I always felt that that was a miss in the original production. It would have ended on such an ironic note. I assumed that Bennett wanted to celebrate the dancers to the very end, and went for an 'untrue' ending."

I would t call the ending untrue in the least. The show is about taking the overlooked background players and thrusting them, and their lives, front and center. The ending does just that, taking the chorus dancers from the big number and instead of having them in the background behind the star, they're upfront, center stage, holding the entire show without a star. They, at long last, ARE the stars. and yet, they still blend together, into...

One.

Bump - is this happening?

one possible option is a gender swap type of revival. Cassie is male & Zack is female. At The Ballet is done with three guys possibly? But it would be a tough assignment for any director.

uncageg said: "ACL2006 said: "one possible option is a gender swap type of revival. Cassie is male & Zack is female. At The Ballet is done with three guys possibly? But it would be a tough assignment for any director."



I, personally, would not bother to see a gender swap type of revival. I was dying for a COMPANY revival so I could finally see it live onstage (Saw the Doyle revival on video and own it.), but wasn't crazy about the gender switch. Switching just wouldn't work for me for "A Chorus Line". Maybe because it holds a special place for me after seeing the original production. Just my opinion.

"

there have been certain schools or college productions that have swapped Cassie/Zach because they wanted to put their star male dancer on a Cassie. if there is a 50th Anniversary revival, it would likely last 6 months or so depending on casting. I can't see a reinvented production of ACL for their big anniversary celebration. As long as no one from the 2006 revival is cast in it, the show should be fine on a limited run.

Please don’t give Jamie Lloyd any ideas. The last thing we need to see is video up Maggie’s nose during “At the Ballet”.

Or they fill the orchestra with inflatable balls with his damn company logo on them, like at Escape to Margaritaville.

Jordan Catalano said: "Or they fill the orchestra with inflatable balls with his damn company logo on them,like at Escape to Margaritaville."

…I’d see Jamie Loyd’s Escape to Margaritaville.

Having sat through an amateur production in Melbourne Australia last year, yes they tired there best, but this show is either dated or needs amazing performances to pull it off these days. Having seen the original during its New York run in 1988, those performers were bored beyond belief. I would rather see someone try to update it.

there are only two ways to do this

either keep it set in the 1970s and treat it as having that place in history

or

completely revise it and update it to current day

the 2006 revival tried to walk the fence and have it both ways and the end result was it sucked

the script and lyrics are loaded with very specific pop culture references from the 70s which probably started feeling long in the tooth even by 1990 so those would need serious updates

while there are certain aspects of dancer life and auditions that are timeless the more personal anecdotes make no sense in the current information age

today anyone who doesnt know what gonorrhea is can google it so there is not the same innocence and type of ignorance as there was back then

10-year-olds know more about sexual issues nowadays than the 18-and-up ages of the characters in the script

as far as the score it is of its time like almost any musical so im not sure how you go about updating a masterpiece

they would need to go all in

not just remove the guitar like the 2006 abomination

the tough part about messing with a legend like ACL is that the reason for its original success was the extraordinary alignment of all of the elements

casting choreography music lyrics libretto lighting costumes

and yes even lack of an ornate set

yank one thread too hard and the entire piece could unravel

so a proper update would be a lot of work

and at the end would it even be recognizable as a chorus line

im not a purist but I think a classic revival that offers no compromise in any of the departments i mentioned above would be the best way to honor its legacy

mezzodiva47 has spoken

bow down accordingly