The Ordway to Present A CHORUS LINE

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is excited to present A Chorus Line, Feb. 16-28. Tickets for the Ordway produced musical start at $37 and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at 651-224-4222 or in-person at the Ordway ticket office.

Based on recordings of sessions with real professional dancers, A Chorus Line tells the stories of 17 dancers all vying for a spot in the chorus line of a Broadway musical. Set on a bare stage during the audition process, A Chorus Line provides a rare glimpse into the lives and personalities of the dancers as they describe the events that have shaped who they are today. The award-winning score includes such popular songs as "One," "I Hope I Get It," "At the Ballet" and "What I Did For Love."

"Having personally experienced what it means to be a Broadway gypsy, going from audition to audition, A Chorus Line has always meant something special to me. It's a classic that has withstood the test of time for a reason, and I'm thrilled to be bringing it to the Ordway stage," said James A. Rocco, Ordway's vice president of programming and producing artistic director. "At the same time, society is very different now than it was when the show first premiered in 1975. It's important that we pay homage to the original dancers and creators, while also making the audience feel like it could be happening right now. It's a challenge, but one I'm looking forward to tackling."

Rocco will co-direct and co-choreograph the production with Kerry Casserly, artistic director of the Lundstrom Center for the Performing Arts and cast member of the 1970s Broadway production of A Chorus Line. "Adding Kerry to the team was a no-brainer because this show is in her heart and soul. Her choreography and direction helps us to explore the show's original intentions, bringing the same sense of urgency and reality that made it a success in the 1970s," added Rocco.

The cast comprises a mix of both local and Broadway dancers, including Katrina Asmar, Rush Benson, Tom Berklund, Maria Briggs, Tiffany Chalothorn, Jonathon Dull, Andy J. Frye, Omar Garibay, Renee Guittar, Katie Hahn, Tim Hausmann, Kayla Jenerson, Herb Johnson, Morgan Kirvida, Anton Harrison LaMon, Amanda Lea LaVergne, Brad Madison, Louise Madison, Cameron Meilicke, Pilar Millhollen, Joey Miller, Anne Reason, Rudolph Searles III, Molly Tynes and Tony Vierling.

"When James and I first got together to discuss the show, we immediately agreed that we needed to find real people that had the same hunger and drive as the characters in A Chorus Line. We wanted people with whom the audience could identify and who could bring to life a shimmer of Michael Bennett's original choreography while making it their own at the same time," said Casserly. "It was a tall order, but we couldn't be happier with the immensely talented cast we've got on board and can't wait to see what each of them brings to the stage."

Conceived and originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line features music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and a book by James Kurtwood and Nicholas Dante. The show originally opened at the Schubert Theatre in July 1975. It quickly became a box office hit, receiving nine Tony Awards (including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreography) and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history until it was surpassed by Cats in 1997. Today, it remains the sixth longest-running Broadway show ever.

A Chorus Line is sponsored by US Bank. For tickets and more information, visit www.ordway.org.