Chorus Line @ NY City Center — Page 3

The 50th Anniversary Revival for 2025 has already been rumored. It takes so long for shows to happen, we'll probably find out in the next 3 years if it will be a replica or a new production. The rights are controlled by John Breglio, who was Bennett's lawyer, estate executor, and producer of the last revival. He hasn't ruled out the idea of a new staging, so hopefully the ENCORES mounting will solidify his thinking.

The show is about youthful ambition and career reinvention, and you're not going to get that with 80-year-old Bob Avian and 71-year-old Baayork Lee, with ALL respect for the important work they've done preserving Bennett's staging and teaching it to new generations of dancers.

If Ted Chapin/R&H can let OKLAHOMA at St. Ann's happen and if the Robbins/Bernstein/Laurents can let Ivo Van Hove tackle WEST SIDE, Breglio can loosen the reins on A CHORUS LINE.

Also, if I may...

my biggest issue with trying to re-create a dead director/choreographers work is that it can never be more than an exercise of going through the motions.

People like Bennett, Fosse, and Robbins were able to explain to their performers the motivations behind the actions. They were able to tell their performers WHY and what motivates the move from an acting/human perspective.

Now? It's just hollow recreation because the people who created what is being replicated aren't there to explain the WHY behind the actions. There is no way it cannot look hollow, phoned in, and paint-by-numbers.

Sondheimite said: "ACL2006 said: "Yep, basically a bunch of recycled vets from the revival and tours. A few newbies there, but nothing exciting. Unless there's a discount code available, I'll skip it."

If anyone from this production team/The Bennet Estate is watching this thread,

it should be noted that someone who's username/avatar is centered around A Chorus Line no longer has much interest in seeing this major production of it.

What does it say that the core market for this isn't excited at all?

Evolve or watch your show fade away!!!"

Here's my history of ACL and why I love it so much. The original production gave me my love of musical theater. It's what inspired me to pursue a career in musical theater. I've done numerous productions of ACL playing or covered every male on the line(except Richie & Paul) & every cut dancer. I've met some of the best people & had some of my favorite experiences doing this show. I saw the revival 9 times and thoroughly enjoyed it outside of a few cast members. I've seen numerous tours and thought the most recent non-equity tours was one of the best productions ever. I've sat through some bad productions, the most notable being the recent one at Papermill. My love of the show kept me going during the times when I wasn't booking ANYTHING, especially during the recession of 2008-09 when I thought I was supposed to retire. I honestly can't count anymore how times I've seen a production of ACL & how many performances of ACL I've done. The love is there.

However, I watched "highlights" of the recent Hollywood Bowl(July 2016) production which used mostly recycled vets. Outside of a few bright spots(Mara Davi, Ross Lynch, Leigh Zimmerman), it was terrible. I would love to be wrong about this production at City Center, but the Hollywood Bowl version came off as this was just another paycheck for most of these actors and I fear the same about this production. I have no doubt Yazbeck will be amazing as Zach, but J. Elaine as Val? Eddie Gutierrez has been playing Paul for 10 years now. My hope is that the ACL newbies will breathe life into this production much like the recent non-equity ACL tour did. I like Sara Etsy as Maggie, Tommy Bracco as Mike & Jay Johnson as Bobby(who played Mark in the first national tour). But I'll join the chorus here and say I'd be very willing to see a new version of this show or even an updated production. I don't see a 2025 revival of this show lasting long if it's the same carbon copy version.

I think we'e ready for a re-imagined version. Great show. But I'm bored with seeing the same damn thing.

I saw Robyn on tour as Cassie, and I loved her! Read a little too young for me when I heard she was replacing in the tour in my city, but totally won me over. She's great!

Also, to note the Stratford Festival production from a few years ago was the first production to be granted permission to change choreography. It was performed on their thrust Shakespearean stage, and was magic!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/Exclusive-Get-A-First-Look-at-Stratfords-Reimagined-A-CHORUS-LINE-20160506

raddersons said: "How in the world could you re-imagineA Chorus Line? It's as stripped down as it could get. Not trying to be a hater here, because I love a re-imagined work... but unless they completely change the context, I'm not sure what you can do."

I don't think people want a version set in a spaceship in the future. People just want to see new staging, new choreography, new costumes. It's literally always done with Cassie in a red leotard and ballet skirt, why can't she be in blue jazz pants? Why can't we choreograph "Music and the Mirror" that plays to her particular strengths instead of forcing them into Donna McKechnie's back bends?

nasty_khakis said: "raddersons said: "How in the world could you re-imagineA Chorus Line? It's as stripped down as it could get. Not trying to be a hater here, because I love a re-imagined work... but unless they completely change the context, I'm not sure what you can do."

I don't think people want a version set in a spaceship in the future. People just want to see new staging, new choreography, new costumes. It's literally always done with Cassie in a red leotard and ballet skirt, why can't she be in blue jazz pants? Why can't we choreograph "Music and the Mirror" that plays to her particular strengths instead of forcing them into Donna McKechnie's back bends?"

Because she'd fade into the line in blue jazz pants. The red automatically draws your eye and it sets her apart from the others. She's also the only person on that stage in a skirt, which gives her a little 'age.' It makes her a little outdated in comparison to the younger dancers she's up against. That kind of differentiating through costume kind of essential to the story telling. I'm not saying someone can't come up with something else that works as well...it's just that they haven't.

I agree that the one degree of separation from the creators (Bennett, Fosse, Robbins) means that the intentions behind the movement get watered down. Both Fosse and Bennett were able to work outside the musical world. They were, in many ways, actors' directors. We don't really have that with our choreographers these days.

SonofRobbieJ said: "I agree that the one degree of separation from the creators (Bennett, Fosse, Robbins) means that the intentions behind the movement get watered down.

I think this is more what I was thinking when I said ACL can't really be "re-imagined". A Chorus Line was based on real interviews with dancers in the 70s, some of which ended up in the original cast of the show, and of which the lines were ripped directly from the interviews. I think it's 70s-ness is an integral part of the whole show. You can't make it modern -- no one says "necking" these days, and not a ton of women use a diaphragm. You could always change the book a bit, sure, but that seems to be denying the process of the show, as something devised based off of interviews with real dancers. So you have more interviews with modern dancers... but don't the original ones say enough already? Does that start totally changing the content of the show? Why not change the costumes? Sure, but they'll still have to be 70s dance outfits -- not too big a change. Why not set it in 70s USSR? Okay, but doesn't really add anything to the core of the story.

I think the only changes that can be done while still maintaining the integrity of "A Chorus Line" as a piece are non-traditional casting, a little bit of the staging, and changing the choreo. And if that's all y'all are looking for, then yeah, this is pretty boring casting. But honestly, I think any reason this show loses its "magic" is just due to being further removed from the time period it's set in, the idea of a concept musical not being as revolutionary, and over familiarity with the piece itself.

I'm just spit-balling here.

Did someone say nontraditional casting? Several years ago, at the BC/EFA Broadway Backwards, Tony Yazbeck did "Music and the Mirror" and it was the most exciting version I'd seen since Donna in the original. Now THAT would make the production way more exciting!

ACL2006 said: "Curious about the Gala performance on Wednesday @ 6pm? Tickets are available and appear to be the cheapest. It also fits best into my schedule for that week. Is there a dress code for this performance? Speeches? What should I expect for a Gala performance?"

I went to the Gala performance of Brigadoon last year and there were a few speeches beforehand but it was business as usual.