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Photo by Don Kellogg

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

A Chorus Line

We all know the story - and many of us have seen the movie. But despite this - the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line is destined to stay around on Broadway for another long run.

The bare stage, the spotlight, the empty theater, the solitary white line painted down the middle of the stage, the dancers, the stories and emotion all add up to... A singular sensation! (ok, i just had to say that!).

Each of the 17 dancers has something to share and each of them makes you feel like the story and the struggle is personally theirs. Many a show has an ensemble cast - and the story within this story is about the very same thing - The desire to make it on "the line". The hopes and dreams not to become "the star", but just to "make it" and then shine thru! This ensemble cast takes you there!

I found myself in awe at how the dancers (we all know they must be TOP notch to have been cast in the show) switch back and forth between the hesitancy and awkward nature of their characters, the tears, the "learning the routines" to the flawless execution of the dance routines in the show numbers. I just have one comment to Bob Alian (the show is still in previews, so changes can officially be made) -- Bring down the mirrors at the end and let the darn cast come out for another bow!

It takes hard work and a lot of rejection before you "get there". The 17 dancers showed us all through their individual stories that this fall's revival of A Chorus Line is going to be "The One"!

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

An Evening of Brecht, Fo and Pinter

Talent can be found in the basement of the Drama Bookshop on W.40th Street in the Arthur Seelen Theater. Joel Bischoff worked for me for a short while on a temporary assignment as did a few other actors/musicians. What a pleasure for our paths to cross.

This show had a short run - 3 days - but well worth the $8 ticket! Three one act plays - one each by Brecht, Fo, and Pinter. An interesting combination - Brecht's drama set in Nazi Germany in the 1930's, Fo's farce set in a city square "any time, anywhere" and Pinter's 8 minute dramatic sketch set in "a room".

A black box theater is... well... a black box theater - but it's so refreshing to see some raw talent close-up in such a small setting. Kudos to Hyphenate Theater for bringing these talented actors together!