A 'Chorus Line' What If

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 8:57pm

I know that the Original taping sessions were done prior to the show actually being written.

What if the Creative Team had done new taping sessions, with a new set of dancers? Most of the people who've seen it expressed a major lack of emotional involvement with this cast.

They could have put the songs in where applicable. I'm sure that there are enough dancers who've had boob jobs whose story they could have used in 2006.

Just an idea, probably makes no sense, but it is something to think about.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:06pm

I was thinking about this. Or even a brand new "backstage" musical or something - at least updating the orchestrations to today and new lyrics (which would pose a problem).

I still think people would compare it to the original. I mean, at the core of it, it IS about acting.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:08pm

that would be interesting to make whole new tapes with new dancers and such...interesting idea, yankee

i think it would have been cool for the revival just to update it a bit...just like more modern costumes or something. i have no problem whatsoever with the "old" costumes, but just a thought...

i havent even seen it yet, though, so i shouldnt be saying anything :P

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:15pm

I'm not saying update the whole thing and set it in 2006....I'm just saying change the stories to make it more relevent with the new group of actors.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:21pm

yeah, sorry, i was just thinking that...

but your idea is better

[Sugarpop69]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 9:24pm

I did ACL once... I was the girl who gets cut at the beginning because she has no ballet. You know, the "DON'T DANCE" girl.
I always thought it would be great if we had double or triple cast the roles, so that each night during the opening number, the actors really had to WORK IT. That way, you don't know if you're going to get cast or cut, or what part you're going to play, until the director calls the lineup.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:34pm

IF you change the stories, it's not A CHORUS LINE.

[anotherhundredpeople]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:43pm

True Munkustrap it would be like a sequel to A Chorus Line, though the idea is interesting.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:46pm

The idea IS interesting, but it wouldn't work. It would be a mere copy of the original process, and nothing would be as organic and personal.

The original dancers that took place in the taping had no idea that they were telling their stories for a Broadway show. It was a "dancer's project" idea, and nothing more. Subsequent tapings were made knowing there may have been a workshop, but the unknown future and exposure is part of what made the stories so personal and organic. It can never be duplicated.

[leon1489]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:51pm

I think the show could totally be set in the present day. With a few lyric changes (Robert Goulet OUT), and some updated orchestrations. But even then, the revival orchestrations are not that bad. I'm not saying it should have been done, but it would have worked, since the stories are still very similar.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 10:59pm

I'm in the middle of the making-of book. It was a ghastly process that Bennett put them all through, from the original tapings to making them audition to play themselves.

I guess it all turned out well in the end....if you don't look at that whole royalties thing.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:03pm

Ghastly? He wasn't always nice, but I think he was far from ghastly. He's a good director.

Look at the whole royaties thing. It all goes back to "what I did for love."

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:04pm

I didn't say he was ghastly, I said the process was. How would you feel if you had to audition to play yourself? There were people who weren't even good enough to be themselves.

It's sad.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:06pm

Well sure it's disappointing and heartwrenching, but that's show biz.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:37pm

Without Michael Bennett to craft the tapes into a Broadway musical masterpiece, I believe the show would live in the shadows of the original A Chorus Line and be a likely failure.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:41pm

It would just never work. It's something that can't be duplicated.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:44pm

Just imagine what would have happened if:

Michael Bennett + David Merrick + A Chorus Line

had happened.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:54pm

I don't think Merrick ever would have touched A CHORUS LINE, unless he knew how much money it was going to make him.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/12/06 at 11:55pm

This is also true. But a dollar don't come cheap.

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 12:12am

A Chorus Line was lightning in a bottle. There is NO way in hell they could have came up with that again.

It's an interesting idea, but it would never work in a thousand or so years.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 12:29am

Sugarpop69- Interesting idea, but that would be confusing as hell. What if me and another person were double casted as Mark, how would we know which one would play it?

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 2:14am

Sugarpop, that's one of the coolest-sounding ideas I've heard about this show. It'd be such a high-stakes dance in the beginning, no doubt. Neddy, if I may explain, pretend there are 10 characters in the show. There would thus be 30 characters dancing onstage during the opening number, 3 of whom play the same character. But the audience hasn't been introduced yet. Thus, when the song is over, the director comes out and choose 10 people to stay on, one for each character. The actors really have to dance and show it off to be cast that night.

Very horribly unethical. Very awesome idea.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 2:24am

Yankee flat out said it probably wouldn't work, but in the spirit of brain storming it really is a beautiful idea. It's almost a shame that it couldn't be done flawlessly to replace the original story, but still a well thought and articulated idea.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 7:33am

What in the world does it mean to "update the orchestrations to today"? What would you have it sound like, an MTV rap song? Retaining the original orchestrations is essential in doing a revival, otherwise don't bother to revive the show! That is one of the good things about the Encores series.The orchestral sound of a show used to be important. What would Lehman Engel think about updating the orchestrations?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/13/06 at 12:19pm

And setting the show in 1975 or 2006 doesn't matter. What would updating the show gain? Nothing.

"Brad Pitt! Brad Pitt! My God, Brad Pitt!"

Please.