50th Anniversary Revival of A CHORUS LINE still on track for 2025?- Page 3

[Jarethan]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 12:45pm

blaxx said: "I would love to see the finale with an approach where, after that long audition, we see a female Broadway diva up front, and the dancers singing "One" to her, fading in her shadow.

This to show the heart breaking reality of being in an ensemble where the leads in the chorus are really destined to remain in the back of the stage."

Just reading this...I always felt that that was a miss in the original production.  It would have ended on such an ironic note.  I assumed that Bennett wanted to celebrate the dancers to the very end, and went for an 'untrue' ending.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 12:57pm

That idea for the “One” number was indeed tried during its Public Theater pre-Broadway run in 1975.  Even tried was having an audience member on stage as “the one.”  So many things were tried during this pre-Broadway run including having the audience pick the final line-up so each performance different dancers were picked.  All this is documented just can’t remember the other ideas tried and cut quickly.  Michael Bennett was basically workshopping the show with a paying audience during this pre-Broadway run.  

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 1:29pm

I wonder how many directors have requested to go back to having Cassie not make the cut. 

[The8re phan]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 1:37pm

As great as all these suggestions sound, I'd much prefer that this 50th anniversary production be a straight-forward recreation of the original  --- no stunt casting, no gender-bending, no revisions, gimmicks or massive changes.  The original became a legend without all of that, and if you're aiming to celebrate A Chorus Line, why change it? 

Updated On: 9/17/22 at 01:37 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 2:34pm

Can we have 5 regional theaters across the country do this show 5 different ways? I'd like to see a few different takes on it. I mean, there's not much you can really change since it's bare bones as it comes, but maybe try some new choreography or something. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLDPAKj1Ew0

This version looks pretty cool. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 2:48pm

Alexander Lamar said: "I wonder how many directors have requested to go back to having Cassie not make the cut."

My guess is few. It's more honest, but it would sour the audience right at the end, and leave them unhappy with the whole evening in retrospect. Cassie being picked is an aesthetic flaw, but a necessary one for the success of the show. 

[oknazevad]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 7:05pm

Jarethan said: "blaxx said: "I would love to see the finale with an approach where, after that long audition, we see a female Broadway diva up front, and the dancers singing "One" to her, fading in her shadow.

This to show the heart breaking reality of being in an ensemble where the leads in the chorus are really destined to remain in the back of the stage."

Just reading this...I always felt that that was a miss in the original production. It would have ended on such an ironic note. I assumed that Bennett wanted to celebrate the dancers to the very end, and went for an 'untrue' ending."

I would t call the ending untrue in the least. The show is about taking the overlooked background players and thrusting them, and their lives, front and center. The ending does just that, taking the chorus dancers from the big number and instead of having them in the background behind the star, they're upfront, center stage, holding the entire show without a star. They, at long last, ARE the stars. and yet, they still blend together, into... 

One. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/17/22 at 8:09pm

I always liked the thought of Zack picking different people each night. Would keep the cast on their toes more. But it would make the finale lineup tough, especially for the guys.