Briefly on the New Cast of A CHORUS LINE

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:02pm

I didn't set out to see A Chorus Line this afternoon, but fate had a way of sending me to the TKTS line. I saw the original cast of the revival right after the show opened (about 2 days after to be exact) and was amazed at what I saw. Half the cast was enthused, the other half bored stiff. Well, I'm happy to report that everyone who was "bored" when I saw it is gone and the replacements are first class.

The standouts were the women....J. Elaine Marcos as Connie (did they cut the "Always Wong never Wight" line?), Krysta Rodriguez as Bebe, and Melissa Lone as Maggie. Her voice is as clear as Mara Davi's. Yet they were all uniformly excellent...you never would guess that they've done it once before.

Of the remaining cast members, the standouts are still James Lane (best male on the stage), Heather Parcells (best woman on stage), and Jessica Lee Goldyn (gorgeous). Michelle Aravena was on as Morales...just superb.

The lone let down was, as it was before, Charlotte, who is so extremely lackluster in the part that it's amazing they asked her back. Per the Playbill, she's not doing Thursdays (Nadine Isenegger) and Sundays (Jessica Lea Patty). Those lucky audience members.

Just as an aside, I've never seen more camp groups in my life. What an inappropriate show to take eight year old campers to see...Though there was nothing like hearing a gaggle of girls giggle whenever Val said "tits."

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:05pm

Thanks for posting that, Yankeefan. Is Jason Tam still there? If not, how was the new Paul?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:08pm

Tam's still there (for about another 3 weeks). Had the audience in tears...I will say that he's grown in the role..

[jg4892]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:11pm

Can you elaborate on Krysta? How was her voice?

[NDR]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:11pm

Yankee - how was Nick Adams?
I saw him in Pirate Queen and he is a great dancer (despite his tendency to over act and his extremely white teeth that were gleaming from row T).

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:14pm

Which people left?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:14pm

I saw the show in November and again last Friday night and I have to say that everyone had grown in their roles. I liked it the first time I saw it, and so much more so on Friday. I think I'm one of the few people who actually liked Charlotte's performance.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:17pm

Dottie I like Charlotte as well!

[goofy108]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:20pm

great to hear!
im catching this in august. is anyone else leaving within the next month? when is jason tam's final performance?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:21pm

jg4892 - Krysta was in fine form...I haven't seen her in "speaking parts" in her other shows, so I can't comment on how her voice was. "At The Ballet" was beautiful, if that helps.

NDR - Nick was very good as Larry (helluva dancer!), but Larry's never been a big enough part to get mentioned.

TapTapTapioca - Chryssie Whitehead, Tony Yazbek, Alisan Porter, Ken Alan, Michael Paternostro, Yuka Takara, Mara Davi, and Brad Anderson.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:23pm

Goofy - August 12, I believe I read.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:53pm

Yes, Jason's leaving August 12th.

I'm glad to hear that the new cast is doing so well. Hopefully I'll get to go back and see them. (And Dottie, I liked Charlotte as well.)

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:55pm

...whoops...

Updated On: 7/25/07 at 06:55 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 6:57pm

I think you meant to click the thread below this one...

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 7:00pm

Haha.

[catstagestud]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 7:26pm

Yankee- can you tell a little more about Melissa's performance? She's a graduate of my program and this is only her second B'way show. She was in the ensemble of Mary Poppins for about the last two months.

Cheers,

Christopher

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 7:50pm

She's a terrific replacement for Mara (who was a dream in the role). She's a terrific dancer, has a very clear voice, and I think she even took the music up a notch higher (though I'm certainly not sure).

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 8:57pm

How was Jason Patrick Sands?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:14pm

Perfectly pompous.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:22pm

Is that good or bad? I don't know that Don is one I would picture as "pompous."

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:29pm

I confused the characters, my mistake.

He was very good, tall, burly...the exact person I'd imagine driving around a stripper.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:36pm

I'm guessing by pompous you either meant Michael Gruber (Greg) or the new Bobby (I forgot his name).

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:39pm

Yes, Gruber as Greg.

By the way, the new Bobby (his name escapes me, as well) and Kristine (ditto her name...Katharine Tokarz?) are perfection. Excellent chemistry. Tokarz (if it is her) expertly downplays everything that Chryssie Whitehead overplayed (at least, on the album). "Sing!" is very much toned down (she makes Kristine less horrible), and it works very well.

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:43pm

By the way, the new Bobby (his name escapes me, as well) and Kristine (ditto her name...Katharine Tokarz?) are perfection. Excellent chemistry.

Do you mean AL?

Bobby and Kristine don't do anything together in the show...

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 9:46pm

I'm glad that the new cast is pretty good!

But I'm still sad that Jason Tam is leaving... I thought that he was the most fantastic performer in the show.