The National Theatre of Washington DC

FACTS

ON BROADWAY
--- First opened on Broadway in 1975
--- Became longest running show in Broadway history in 1983 after 3,389 performances
--- Closed on Broadway in 1990 after 15 years and 6,137 performances

KEY AWARDS
--- Won the Pulitzer Prize (for Drama) in 1975
--- Won nine Tony Awards in 1976 including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Musical Score (Marvin Hamlisch), Best Director (Michael Bennett), Best Choreography
--- Won five Drama Desk Awards in 1976
--- Won New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical in 1975

THIS TOURING PRODUCTION
--- Directed by Bob Avian, who was the Original Tony Award-winning Co-Choreographer (with Michael Bennett, who is now deceased)
--- Original Music by Marvin Hamlisch
--- Choreographed by Baayork Lee (pronounced BYE-york) who starred in and created the role of ‘Connie’ in the original Broadway production.
--- Produced by John Breglio, who worked alongside (original Director) Michael Bennett up until his death in 1987

HISTORY, CONCEPT, ETC.
--- When A Chorus Line premiered in 1975, it shattered every convention of the American musical . There was no curtain & essentially no set --- just a bare stage with a single white line and moveable dance mirrors.
--- The actors wore "rehearsal clothes" until the finale ("One, Singular Sensation") when they appeared in gold top hats and gold spangled suits. .
--- There was no intermission and no star.
--- The plot was simple, almost non-existent…..25 dancers trying out for 8 spots in the chorus of a new Broadway musical.
--- The content was provocative and intensely personal. The dancers revealed their own stories, raw, emotional and brutally honest – woven into a groundbreaking masterpiece of musical theatre. Audiences and critics alike were captivated.
--- Then Director-choreographer Michael Bennett (a former chorus dancer) wanted to pay tribute to Broadway's ‘gypsies’ – the dancers who move from one show to another, working tirelessly to support the ‘star,’ often in pain and risking permanent injury.
---- Bennett said, “Dancers kill themselves in a show. They are always the low man on the totem pole. They work like dogs, get less money than anyone else, and don’t get any real credit. I want to do a show where the dancers are the story.”
--- Bennett wanted the choreography & dance to be more than part of characters – he wanted it to actually BE the characters.
--- Bennett interviewed a gathering of 20 dancers – the dancers poured out their life stories and experiences, Bennett taping their words. A Chorus Line was based on these dancers real life experiences. Said Baayork Lee,” We had to audition to play our lives.”
--- Composer Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Edward Kleban had to showcase the abilities of the dancers ‘as dancers’, rather than as singers – unusual when writing for a musical.
--- Two of his tunes have become popular, favorite tunes (outside the context of the show) “What I Did For Love,” and “One Singular Sensation.”
--- New York Times critic Clive Barnes said in his review, “We have for years been hearing about innovative musicals; now Mr. Bennett has really innovated one….The conservative word for A Chorus Line might be tremendous.”

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

--- A Chorus Line is a reflection of its time (1975) – but has proved to be timeless. In the current production, references to particular years have been altered—rather than a dancer saying he was born in 1950, he’ll say he was born 25 years ago.
--- To update the production & make it feel more contemporary --- changes in the lighting and set have been made—Starbursts at the end, lights at the end, mirrored panels on either side of the stage as well as in the back—but it’s still a simple set by most Broadway musical standards.
--- Why do people still like it/ relate to it?----- The universality of its message: A Chorus Line is about love, loving what you do. It’s about passion and being passionate about whatever you choose to do in life.