Why do I mention this? This afternoon we saw A Chorus Line at Cabrillo Music Theatre in Thousand Oaks. The timing was good, as the show is currently on Broadway, and Cabrillo has one of the few licensed productions in California. For those unfamiliar with the story, it grew out of interviews held by Michael Bennett with the theatrical gypsies, members of the chorus. From these hundreds of hours of interviews he conducted the story of an audition, where each gypsy tells their story of why theatre and dance are a part of their life. There are all sorts in this crew: the children from abusive households to whom dance was safety and security; homosexuals; those trying for a comeback; those who can’t sing; those who can’t dance. All of these come together, through their stories, to pay homage to the unseen chorus line. Near the end of the show, one of the dancers, Paul, gets hurt in a tap number. After he’s taken away, the director asks the telling question: What would you do when you can’t dance anymore? What would you do if you couldn’t dance tomorrow? It is at this point that the show hammers the point home: We do what we do (hopefully) out of the love of the doing: “Kiss today goodbye, and point me toward tomorrow. We did what we had to do. Won’t regret, can’t forget, what I did for love.”
A Chorus Line (the “A” is part of a name in order to be first in the alphabetical listings) took Broadway by storm when it came out in 1975. It won nine Tony Awards, five Drama Desk Awards, a New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It ran, sold-out, for 15 years on Broadway. It was the highlight of Bennett’s careers, and of Marvin Hamlish (the composer) and Ed Kleban (the lyricist). It was also a turning point in the evolution of Broadway. The only “set” consisted of mirrors; the only costumes being workout clothes (except for the last scene). The stage was a single line, and the mirrors. It was one act, no intermission. There were no stars: the focus was the ensemble, the gypsys. There was no formal curtain call; the finale, with everyone in gold lame, was the curtain call. This was drastically different than conventional theatre at the time.
I should note that the original cast album does not capture the show completely: some songs are omitted, the order is different, and some songs are incomplete. The movie is a travesty; don’t bother. The new cast recording restores the order, but still omits the number “And…”.
It is now 30 years later. How did this cast do? Very very well indeed. There were a number of standout performances, in particular, Ayme Olivo as Diana, Kai Chubb as Cassie, and Adrianne Hampton as Val. In general, all of the performances were strong. This is a remarkable statement to make, given that a number of the performers are still in high school. I can’t quite say as much on the technical side. There were a few cases where folks were undermiced, and I think part of the orchestra could have been amplified better as well. Even more problematic was the follow spots, which were often wandering the stage in search of their target. But other than that, it was excellent. I particular enjoyed watching the faces of the line during the performance of Dance: 10; Looks: 3, in particular Connie and Kristine. This is the last weekend of the show.
The cast consisted of: Trai Allgeier (Tricia), Robert Bastron (Bobby); Kai Chubb (Cassie); Haley Clair (Lois); Renee Colvert (Bebe); Brian Conway (Tom); Drew D’Andrea (Greg); Steven Ferezy (Roy); Karlee Ferreira (Vicki); Sarah Girard (Maggie); Daniel Guzman* (Zach); Adrianne Hampton (Val); Robert Holden (Al); Jeff Longenecker (Mark); Robert Marra* (Paul); Lana McKissack (Connie); Ayme Olivo (Diana); Tracy Powell* (Sheila); Matthew Alan Rawles (Don); Travis Robertson* (Richie); Kate Roth (Kristine); Anna Schnaitter (Judy); Kelly Tatro (Larry); Daniel Thomson (Butch); and Geoffrey Voss (Mike). The production was directed and choreographed by Kay Cole, with lighting by Steven Young, sound by Jonathan Burke, wardrobe by Christine Gibson, musical direction by Darryl Archibald.
As always, the upcoming theatre calendar: The Beastly Bombing, Fri, 11/10 @ 8pm; Sister Act, The Musical, 11/18 @ 9pm; Dirk, 11/19 @ 2pm; and A Light in the Piazza, 12/3 @ 2pm …plus I’m still working on tickets for 13 (12/30). Lastly, I should note that the userpic for this review is particularly appropros, as it is from the Pasadena Playhouse production of A Class Act, which was a musical based on the life of Ed Kleban, the lyricist for A Chorus Line.
*: Member of Actors Equity Association.
The Colony production was excellent. The four member cast consisted of Brent Schindele* as Big Willy (sic)/Billy/William/Villy; Mary Gordon Murray* as Mother Abby/Abby/Auntie Abby/Abigail Von Schtarr/Fraulein Abby; 
Last night we went to see the August Wilson play “
Fences tells the story of Troy Maxson, a garbage collector and former Negro League player; his best friend Jim Bono, whom he met in jail; his wife of 17 years, Rose; his brother, Gabriel, who was left addled after a wartime head injury; his oldest son Lyons, from before he went to Jail, and his yougest son, Cory, who he had with Rose. The play starts with Tory and Jim discussing why it is that Negros can work the back of the truck and collect garbage, but not drive. The play begins on payday, with Troy and Bono drinking and talking. Troy’s character is revealed through his speech about how he (Troy) went up to Mr. Rand (their boss) and asked why black men aren’ allowed to drive the garbage trucks (they are garbage men). Rose and Lyons join in the conversation. Lyons, a musician, has come to ask for money, confident he will receive it. A few days later, Cory tells Troy that a man from North Carolina will come to talk about Cory’s future in football, and that he will be offered a scholarship. Troy was also a sports star when younger: a baseball player in the Negro Leagues, disheartened that the major leagues began to accept black players only when Troy was too old to play. Troy allows Cory to play football only on the condition that Cory keep his after-school job at the A&P supermarket. Cory, although knowing that this is impossible, accepts Troy’s offer. By the next scene, we learn that Troy has won his case and is the first black man to drive a garbage truck in Pittsburgh. As he is boasting to Bono about his past struggles with his father, Cory comes in enraged, because Troy has told the football coach that Cory cannot play football anymore because he didn’t keep his job at the A&P. Troy views Cory’s insubordination as “strike one.” Two more strikes, and Troy will kick him out. In the next scene, Troy bails Gabriel out of jail after Gabriel was arrested for disturbing the peace. Bono warns Troy about not “messing” with Alberta and sticking with Rose. Troy says he realizes Rose’s value, but then admits to her that he is having an affair with Alberta, and she is pregnant. Rose is distraught that she put all her faith in Troy and yet he betrayed her. When Troy grabs her arm, Cory comes from behind him and shoves Troy down. Troy admonishes Cory that this act is “strike two” and tells him not to strike out. For the next few months, all Troy does is come home, change, and go to Alberta’s house. No one in the family talks to him. Six months later, Rose receives a call from the hospital. Troy’s baby is a girl, and Alberta has died in childbirth. When Troy comes home with the baby, Raynell, he asks Rose to act as the mother. She agrees to this for the sake of the child, but tells Troy that he is now a “womanless man.” Rose leaves, and Troy sits in the entrance to the house. When Cory tries to push his way past him, Troy is enraged and demands that Cory say “excuse me.” Cory then points out that the house is not really Troy’s but rather is Gabriel’s. The two men fight, trying to hit one another with a baseball bat. Troy wins and kicks Cory out, and tells him to provide for himself. The next scene is set eight years later, at Troy’s funeral. Cory returns, now a Marine. At first he refuses to come to Troy’s funeral, but after Rose admonishes his rebellion and after he and Raynell sing an old song of Troy’s, he concedes. Gabriel comes and tries to open the gates of heaven, by blowing on his horn. This fails, and the gates only open when Gabriel does a traditional African dance.
In the panoply of the 2nd generation of composers and lyricists for the musical theatre, there are some names that stand out. One of those sets of names is 
The show stars 