A Chorus Line at Orpheum Theatre on 6/16/09

By: John Olive

Instant classic.

That's what happened back in 1975 when Michael Bennett, director/choreographer talent extraordinaire, transferred A Chorus Line from the small off-Broadway Public Theatre to a Broadway venue. The show ran for an astounding 6,137 performances – 15 years. A revival in 2006 ran for nearly 2 years. Innumerable touring productions crisscross the country. Tony Awards, the Pulitzer – A Chorus Line has become a permanent high spot in American Theatre. 

Everything gels in this story of 17 "gypsy dancers" (as they are called in the harshly competitive New York theater world). The music (Marvin Hamlisch – this American treasure gives us what may be his best work), the lyrics (Edward Kleban), the book (James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante), the fabulous and famous choreography (Bennett, along with Bob Avian), the design, everything. They serve us up a deceptively simple, intermissionless, and near-perfect two hour theatrical rondo.

We start with "One", a difficult song-and-dance number which takes shape under the tense supervision of Zach (Kevin Neil McCready), the director/decision-maker. He lets 8 of the dancers go. The remaining 17 line up. For the next hour and a half we're treated to some truly marvelous, classic music theatre songs. Standouts include "I Can Do That" (Clyde Alves), in which Mike describes sneaking into his sister's dance class. In "Dance, Ten; Looks, Three" Val (Mindy Dougherty) gives us a hilarious description of how (and why) she acquired her surgically augmented chest. Diana Morales (Rebecca Riker)'s "Nothing", her riff on the High School of Performing Art's improv class is funny, and then suddenly very moving. At the end, "What I Did For Love" (Riker again, with the company) is stunning. 

Dancing, as might be imagined, is rich and complex. The ensemble pieces work like a dream; ditto the solos. Cassie (Robyn Hurder)'s dance has become a famous show-stopper, a shattering portrait of an artist a heartbeat away from obscurity, desperate to keep working. Paul (Bryan Knowlton)'s achingly beautiful monologue about his early days as a dancer and his parents acceptance of his homosexuality is thrilling. 

At the end we're treated to a reprise of "One", this time in full costume, beautifully rehearsed, the dancer/singers in top form. Wow. 

One of the touring productions of A Chorus Line – a very good one – has been brought into town by the Hennepin Theatre Trust. The cast, to a person, is a standout. Bob Avian directs with a sharp ear for the characters and their stories. The show plays at the Orpheum Theatre until June 21. Top ticket price is $76 – high, but not at all bad by Broadway standards. So snap these tickets up, folks, they are going to go fast. 

"The best musical. Ever." This is how the Hennepin Theatre Trust describes the show. Hyperbolic to be sure, but not far off the mark. 

Location Info: Orpheum Theatre
Artist Info: A Chorus Line National Touring Company

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