Chorus Line in the Round

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 2:17pm

I was discussing the closing of NSMT and looking through their archives, and noticed that in the 80s, A Chorus Line was done...which made me wonder, how does that work? I mean, I assume the line is either on an angle or in a circle, but what about "Music and the Mirror" without mirrors?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 2:28pm

The changed the title to A Chorus Circle and the song to Music & The Air.

If memory serves.

[tellybox]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 3:51pm

Theatre in the round sounds very interesting for Chorus Line. I wonder if there are any pictures out there.

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 4:31pm

I too would like to see pictures!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 4:43pm

It actually sounds like an interesting concept. It could be brilliant if staged imaginatively.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 5:18pm

I've only ever seen one, and it had the cast in a circle. But that doesn't answer any of my other questions about it.

[morosco]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 5:44pm

I do remember reading about the set for a production in the round. It may have been the NSMT. For this particular production the "line" on the floor was actually an embedded strip of plexiglas which was lit from beneath the stage. When the light was on the line was clearly visible and when the light was off the line would vanish. Having the line like this made it possible for the show to have multiple lines embedded in the stage at various locations. The "line" could change perspective. As for the mirrors I believe they were flown in at the vomitory entrances.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 5:49pm

They did this at Sacramento Music Circus in the 80s I believe!

[wonkit]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 5:53pm

morosco - thanks for the vocabulary word of the day. Haven't seen vomitory since reading Dante!

[morosco]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 5:56pm

Has that word gone out of fashion?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 6:28pm

^ I used it a lot in my theatre days. Granted I was spelling it vaumitory.

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 6:54pm

The use of different lines being lit up sounds cool!

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 7/15/09 at 7:58am

NSMT did it twice. The first time it was done with the line being more of an x .. and every time they resumed the line it was rotated 1/4 so the set up of the performers was the same but the audience got a new view. The second time it was done, it was as a circle on the edge of the stage with all actors facing in, but no rotation.

As for Music in the Mirror, 3 large mirrors were flown in, but they were special mirrors that were reflective on the side facing in and transparent from the back.