Chorus Line: Fulton Theatre's "re-envisioned" with Jessica Lee Goldyn in PA

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:44pm

I'm not sure I've ever heard of a pro production (at least one I assume to be approved) of ACL without the Bennett staging. Anyone seen this? Here's the press release

http://www.thefulton.org/2013/02/26/a-chorus-line-opens-at-fulton-theatre/

“This is a hugely personal show for me,” says Marc. “It represents the story of my own life. I can’t wait to share my vision of it for Fulton audiences. It’s the same script, the same characters and same story; but told a whole new way.”

Judging from the only photos a friend could find, this "whole new way" includes Magic and the Mirror as a duet. http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/gallery/5062/PHOTO-EXCLUSIVE-Backstage-Portraits-at-Fulton-Theatres-New-Look-Chorus-Line-With-Jessica-Lee-Goldyn/?pnum=24

[ACL2006]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:46pm

Goldyn playing Cassie again. She's becoming the new Jennifer Holiday.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:46pm

Oh, thank God. I like the classic Chorus Line as much as anyone, and I love that the original staging was documented and preserved and CAN be re-staged, but I've always somewhat resented the implication that it HAD to be.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:51pm

I'm guessing this is the finale.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:52pm

I don't see a line on the floor.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:56pm

This has video where you can see some brief snippets of choreography. It also makes me wonder about the part in "One" where they start singing the moves and if/how that is affected.
Penn Live

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:08am

Thanks for finding that link!

Darque--as you know I'm a bit perhaps overly traditional when it comes to certain shows like this, particularly ones where the direction and staging were as much of the "text" of the piece as the words and music. But you have a fair point in saying this isn't a case where the original staging is going to be lost, or anything.

The director in the video clip posted has me even less convinced, however. "This is Zack's story?" (Isn't that what the movie tried partly to do?) He mentions that they are exactly the same characters and script, but then implies modern audiences want to see what kind of journey a modern Broadway dancer would go on and they finally will in this--and yet from that photo it looks like some weird neon and black 1980s show to me... But I admit, it's impossible for me to watch the One choreography and not see the original.

[bk]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:08am

A Chorus Line reimagined as Fosse? That's what that photo looks like and it's certainly what that video looks like. Count me out.

Updated On: 3/28/13 at 12:08 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:10am

That photo does look like a bad 80s Fosse revue.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:14am

"Count me out."

Way ahead of ya.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:27am

One of the brilliant things about Theoni V. Aldredge's original costume design for the finale is that the costumes really did swallow up the individuality of the actors. Regardless of gender or race or other physical difference in appearance, the colors and glitz were stronger.

By putting them in those all-black costumes, this designer is achieving basically the opposite.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 1:55am

Great point--on stage it can be even hard to tell who is who in the finale. There--judging purely from the photo--all you CAN focus on are the faces (and the women's legs...)

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 8:22am

It *is* difficult to separate the work from that original productionm, so chops to the guy for trying, but.... no. This is not Zach's story, no more than it's the emcee's story in Cabaret. And that just kinda suggests that this guy either (1) really doesnt understand the material or (2) wants to be so radical about it that he makes a name for himself in the process.

And Ms. Goldyn may be a perfectly lovely lady and a great performer, but in that video she stands out from the rest in all the wrong ways.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:35am

Boy it's awfully dark on that stage. They wanted to show off the rope lighting I guess. lol

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:35am

Well, I don't know, I think that in the process of creating art you should be allowed to make mistakes, try something new, and maybe it doesn't work but you at least tried something different. Having said that, there's this new wave of musical theatre directors whose idea of revitalizing a show is to completely redefine it in ways that are not organic to the piece. It's the difference between having a production of HAMLET that highlights Gertrude and Ophelia's POV to having a production of HAMLET that revolves around the Ghost or something. Poor analogy, but basically there's ways to find a perspective to a piece that highlights significant portions of a text whereas there's perspectives that seem more interested in making it "new" and "fresh" without an understanding of those concepts. The whole idea that this is Zach's show seems to go so completely against what the show is trying to do. And honestly, I do find the idea of Zach being in "The Music and the Mirror" a little preposterous.
Kad, your comment about the costumes is spot-on. I really don't like applying the Fosse-lite to A CHORUS LINE, it's just not a good fit. The only person whom I'd like to see try to do something with A CHORUS LINE is Tommy Tune, who would never in a million years dare to mess with Bennet's choreography.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:45am

I think it should be staged on an airplane, and Zach & Larry are terrorists deciding who will get thrown off. Cassie is the pilot, Connie, Diana, and Val are stewardesses. Sheila is the Old Stewardess. Mike is an air marshall. Bobby and Greg are flying someplace to get married. Al and Kristine are on their honeymoon. Bebe and Judy are whacky stowaways.

During "One," one-by-one, they jump out the door sans parachutes.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:48am

Wouldnt take much to turn it into SURVIVOR: THE MUSICAL. Ryan Seacrest as Zach as Ryan Seacrest.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 1:05pm

It's really the story of the people cut in the first round. I'd like to see a version that follows them into the pit and then we hear the rest of the show as they augment the singing.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 1:44pm

Somewhere Baayork Lee is PISSED!

Also, I always kind of envisioned Cassie as looking beat and not that particularly attractive. She never cut it anywhere so I picture her as pretty average. Goldyn looks very hot and if she is that talented, you think she'd be working more.

[chinto1984]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 4:27pm

HAHA! Baayork Lee.

Doesn't look daring as more, what somebody said earlier, 80's Fosse. I've always wanted to see a really small production of chorus line where it's only 6 people, actor's playing multiple parts.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 4:45pm

I want the guys from Greater Tuna to do the whole thing.

And I want them to use the choreography from Waiting For Guffman.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 5:08pm

Maybe they should really do it with the actor/instrument approach.

I'll have to try to find some reviews or reactions from people who have seen it. From the video and articles my impression is the director goes on about re-inventing it, but in a way this seems half hearted. He mentions making it Zack's story (which again just seems to make it more like the movie to me--though maybe that's not fair) but otherwise speaks of the show's appeal exactly the way everyone always (quite rightly) does about how these people in a way could represent anyone trying to get "in," etc, which I don't get how that goes with the re-invention aspect.

It's a bit like Laurents' calling his WSS a reinvention trying to get away from the so often done (and perfectly wonderful) original, when the changes--from what I can tell--seem to merely take away elements from the original that worked rather than really re-invent the show (editing Robbins' choreography/adding Zack to Music and the Mirror, etc.)

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 5:31pm

^^ Dont give Doyle any ideas!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 5:50pm

At this point, Im cool with any attempts at re-imagining. The last few times I've seen the show it was boring and seemed so dated. The last tour was pretty mediocre as well. Have at it kids, but dont tell Bob Avian or Baayork Lee. IT'S THEIRS!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 6:07pm

I had always assumed they had to sanction all rights to pro productions--but this seems a (fairly) major one, so maybe they had permission?

I dunno--I guess part of it is simply that I had never seen Chorus Line, except the movie and those B&W bootlegs and clips, before, but I found the last tour thrilling. I saw both major casts, and I found it near perfect (it also made me finally recognize how genius the score is.) But as I've said, I'm a huge nerd when it comes to trying to see the original staging of shows--still, on tour, I thought most of the actors brought enough of their own to it.

But I do think there's room for trying a new approach. This, to me, just seems half-hearted if not misguided. I'm not sure how I grasp how it's re-invented except for changing the choreography and a few elements. I would love to be able to see it, and see if certain moments have a new or different poignancy than the original.