Chorus Line @ NY City Center — Page 7

Just_John said: "I saw it this afternoon and I loved it. I had seen the broadway revival over ten times and don’t think it was as strong as that, but with more rehearsal it could have been. It ran two hours and twenty minutes. It’s suppsoed to be one hour and 40 minutes."

I've seen a lot of productions, including the original, the revival, and his one, and a few around the country. None of them was an hour and 40 minutes. The show has, in my experience, always run just over two hours (which is a little too long for me). And this production is no exception -- it may have started a little late, but my guess is that the actual run time was between 2:05 and 2:10. Which is normal.

First time posting. Please be nice!

This was one of the those times when the audience and the players were in perfect communion. The opening number was electrifying: fast and honest and ultimately very sweet.

There was one tic in the singing: instead of "I. Real.ly. Need. This. Job " it was more like "I Real.ly NEEDthisJOB" (DUM dah-DUM). Hard to explain but it happened a few times.

But on to the highlights!

Montage was out of this world--through the tears anyway! To my great shame, I did not try to precipitate a standing O. The band was ripping, and it was heartfelt and intense everywhere it needed to be.

At the Ballet... if no one had sung it before... The first two parts were great; but Maggie had a hard time hitting everything as hard as the original, and she couldn't find a place to be unique. But she is not alone in having that kind of challenge.

Dance: 10 fell completely flat. Somehow Elaine Marcos couldn't summon the right combination of world-weariness and wry humor, instead going for easy laughs and camp. Didn't work for me. Physically, I thought she was miscast.

Nothing and What I Did for Love (Tara Kostmayer) were both reworked as slow-boil numbers--maybe a nod to Tara being a little bit less spunky and sassy than Priscilla Lopez. I know she's supposed to be an anchor, but I think she was supplanted by Cassie (of course) and (in my view) Sheila. Sheila (Leigh Zimmerman) was absolutely magnetic--up there with the original, Kelly Bishop--though I've only seen the grainy YouTube.

Music and the Mirror was excellent (dancing) and fair (singing). Maybe Robyn Hurder had been told to act half a line and sing half a line (is that the original?). Too daunting darling! The faux romantic sub-plot really got in the way here (guess I agree with Jesse Green on that one). But hey--great choreography and everything else. She acquitted herself.

That leaves... ONE! This was an absolute barn burner ball buster. As each player came out for the reveal, the audience's continuous applause exploded. I was ready to jump out of my seat and stay there. It was really quite incredible and quite emotional in its own way, even though I know that Bennett wanted the scene to be the great leveler of all the personalities. Or maybe not! Maybe he succeeded in making all of them immediate and real, and so the pleasure was all that deeper and sweeter in seeing them together.

If I’m remembering correctly, the finale as we know it is listed as “Bows” in the script and score, so that is supposed to be the only opportunity to applaud the individual actors. (I mean, they literally all take an individual bow.) There isn’t supposed to be a curtain call after the show like they did here.

djdonj, what do you mean about “I really need this job”? Do you mean rhythm of the line or the stress they were putting on those words? Either way, if it kept happening that way, it was probably intentional and told to the actors by the director and/or music director.

Updated On: 11/18/18 at 10:11 AM

I've been to hard on A Chorus Line.

I've just been listening to the original cast recording for the first time since I've been in high school (over ten years ago).

And I was amazed at the emotional response I had listening to the music.

There's something about that "style" of music that makes me miss an era that I'm very sad I missed but which was a big part of my childhood.

The music reminds me of those great songs that used to be on Sesame Street in the 1970's. Songs that weren't banal or pandering to children... songs that were beautiful and nuanced. Kinda like the song When I Grow Up from Matilda; young people hear one thing, older people hear other things.

All this to say:

I was being an @$$h0|e. I'd but a ticket to this if it came to Broadway. I really want a new staging... but I could use some good times in theatre, I don't know about you. So I welcome this if it's transfering.

Yesteday I saw A Chorus Line live for the first time. I was really disappointed:

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2018/11/florez-recital-free-wheeling-lovefest.html

poisonivy2 said: "Yesteday I saw A Chorus Line live for the first time. I was really disappointed:

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2018/11/florez-recital-free-wheeling-lovefest.html"

Are you sure you saw the same show as everyone else? Or maybe fell asleep?

"I think the point of the number "One" is that we finally see the payout from these individuals that we've grown to care about. But when you never really cared about them, then it just becomes another chorus kickline."

You've missed the point entirely.

There's an interview I watched with Natalie Cortez from the revival a couple years ago and she talks about how on the first day of rehearsal, right in the script the cast receives it says something to the effect of "Never forget: A CHORUS LINE is a tragedy. At the end of the day, you become a member of the chorus and you are no different than anyone else onstage with you." Paraphrased (and probably made a bit harsher, apologies if anyone knows the exact wording).



THAT is what "One" is about. The all come out and you can't tell them apart, save for a few. That's why the full company (minus the initial cut dancers) perform and not just the 8 that receive the job.

poisonivy2 said: "MarilynMonroeSmash said: "poisonivy2 said: "Yesteday I saw A Chorus Line live for the first time. I was really disappointed:

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2018/11/florez-recital-free-wheeling-lovefest.html"

Are you sure you saw the same show as everyone else? Or maybe fell asleep?"

I didnt realize I wasnt allowed to dislike the performance?"

I'm not saying you can't dislike a performance. I'm just so utterly baffled and confused as to how you came to all of these conclusions that you did.