A Chorus Line
May 25-June 17
Baldwin Theatre
(248) 541-6430
Tickets: $16 – $18
ROYAL OAK – Metro Detroit audiences will delight to "one singular sensation" of a show as Stagecrafters presents one of the most successful musicals of all time, "A Chorus Line," at the Baldwin Theatre in downtown Royal Oak, May 25-June 17. The Baldwin Theatre is located at 415 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak.
"A Chorus Line" is set on the bare stage of a Broadway theatre during an audition for eight chorus line members of a new musical. Before the final cut is made, however, the director, Zach, takes the unconventional step of asking each of the 17 finalists to talk about themselves. And Zach wants more than just their resumes. He wants to know about their families, friends, lovers, ambitions, and careers. One by one, they come forward.
Some are shy or reluctant; others are more than happy to reveal their innermost thoughts. As they share stories from funny to heart-breaking, the auditionees give a glimpse into their personalities and passions, as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers.
The monumentally successful "A Chorus Line" opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on July 25, 1975. It received 12 Tony Award nominations, winning nine, including best musical, best musical book, best score and best choreography. It also won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, one of the few musicals ever to receive this honor, and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play of the season. It closed on April 28, 1990 after 6,137 performances. It held the record as the longest-running musical in history until "Cats" usurped it. In the fall of 2006, the current Broadway revival opened.
When Stagecrafters decided to mount "A Chorus Line," director/choreographer John Luther knew that he wanted to be the one to bring this story to Metro Detroit audiences because of his strong personal connection to the material. Luther says that in his former life as a "gypsy" (theater slang for a professional chorus dancer), he auditioned many times for a role in this landmark musical, but at age 25 declined his one and only offer to perform in a professional production of the show in favor of a role in another show.
"I thought I would have other opportunities to be cast, but as it turned out I was never cast in a professional production again. So, I did not perform in 'A Chorus Line' until I was 38 and had retired from professional dancing," he said in a statement.
That production was one of two times that Luther appeared in "A Chorus Line." Both experiences were positive enough to bring him back to the material now. But it's not familiarity with the material alone that led Luther to seek the directorship of Stagecrafters' "A Chorus Line." As a former professional dancer, he lived the story that is presented in the show. "I was one of those people who auditioned and desperately wanted to be cast in a show. Nine out of 10 times I was rejected, but that one out of 10 times was enough to keep me going and I had some great experiences as a gypsy. I identify with so many of the characters, their hopes, dreams, insecurities."
No show honors the dancer's life of which Luther speaks quite like "A Chorus Line." This is due, largely, to its origins. "A Chorus Line" began as a workshop "share" session. A group of dancers met after rehearsals for other shows to discuss their personal and professional lives. The sessions were tape recorded, written down, and a musical libretto was pieced together. Playwright/novelist James Kirkwood ("P.S. Your Cat Is Dead") and former dancer Nicholas Dante assembled the book. Academy-award winner Marvin Hamlisch composed the music, and the relatively unknown Edward Kleban wrote the lyrics.
All musicals are a result of collaboration, but the true creative force in the formation of "A Chorus Line" was director-choreographer Michael Bennett. It was under his guidance that the material took shape. And that guidance resulted in something unique in musical theater. "There had never been a show like this before," Luther said, "a show that attempted to present the unvarnished truth about a life in show business from the vantage of the chorus, not the star."
Lest non-dancers feel alienated by the material, the production staff reminds theater-goers that "A Chorus Line," like all masterworks of theater, presents a very specific story while shedding light on universal themes. Matt Horn, music director of Stagecrafters' production said in a statement, "I think the central theme of 'A Chorus Line' is timeless; that is the drive to succeed at something you love despite life's obstacles." Luther added, "I think everyone can relate to the experience of having dreams and fearing rejection."
