One. Singular. Sensation. Still.
“A Chorus Line,” which opened Stages St. Louis’ 25th anniversary season last night at the Robert G. Reim theater, remains unique in American musical theater history. The combination finale-curtain call may be the most dazzling sequence ever, and no play, ever, captured the passion, pain and triumph of show business any better.
It’s a fine production, too, though the only real challenge facing Stages was not to harm it. So Michael Hamilton’s direction and Kim Shriver’s choreography recreated the original, both done by Michael Bennett. The original, first performed in 1975, had music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante.
The plot is simple. Bennett invited a group of New York chorus boys and girls, to late-night gatherings. The interviews, some real, some made-up, are what’s different about the show. The original Cassie, Donna McKechnie, had worked on Broadway, was a star dancer, went to Hollywood and had a disastrous fling with movies and with love. She returned to New York and is trying to start over; unfortunately, the chorus master, Zach (David Elder), is her former lover.
Elder is exciting as Zach. His questioning of the dancers is handled perfectly, and his dominating attitude is just right as the Man in Charge.
Jessica Lee Goldyn, as Cassie, is the ideal foil. She’s a brilliant dancer and a fine singer, and she played Val (the Dance 10, Looks 3 Girl) in the most recent Broadway revival. She also truly looks the part of a dancer who has not danced in several years and is nearing, or just past, 30. Her waist has thickened a little, and her body is in sharp contrast to those of the younger dancers like Hilary Michael Thompson (Kristine) or Laura Taylor (Judy). She’s vocally strong, and hits the dramatic highlights perfectly in “The Music and the Mirror.”
The candidates know they’re long shots — eight dancers (four boys, four girls) will be chosen from the nearly two dozen who crowd the stage for the opening number — and there’s a desperate air, not always covered by the overt sexuality shown by Sheila (an outstanding Kimberly Wolff) or the hilarious “Sing Duet” by Al (Jeffrey Scott Stevens) and Kristine (Thompson).
Vanessa Sonon sparkles as Val, and her song about the benefits of plastic surgery both fore and aft is a highlight. Diana (Jessica Vaccaro) has two brilliant numbers, including the classic “What I Did for Love.” Mike (Michael McGurk) is a tap-dancing wizard in “I Can Do That,” and he can, very well.
I’ve probably seen “A Chorus Line” 20 times and have yet to tire of it. Both music and lyrics talk to me, and so does every actor-singer-dancer on that stage. It’s what theater should provide for its fans.
A Chorus Line, a presentation of Stages St. Louis, opened last night at the Robert G. Reim Theatre, and will run through July 3.
—Joe