Though August 10
Summer dance alert.
A Chorus Line is now at the Beck Center for the Arts, The classic (1975) Broadway show features music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, with book by Ja.es Kirkwood, Jr., and Nicholas Dante. The Beck production is directed and choreographed by Christopher Chase Carter.
A Chorus Line centers on what happens during the few hours dancers have to win a place, not as stars, but as part of a Broadway-style chorus line.
Director Zach (Scott Sumerak) must choose eight from a stage full of dancers (literally a stage full—over two dozen). And while he’s making up his mind, we get hints about the struggles inherent in the dancers’ lives.
Note, they are not the stars, merely the chorus, and yet being selected means, as they tell us, everything. Each emerges (even those cut early) as expressive personalities with admirable abilities. (And yes, everyone in this cast seems to dance like stars.)
Costume designer Inda Blatch Geib’s creations revealed both the grit and the glitter of the dance world, as did stage designer Cheril Prough Devol’s mirrored back wall. We watched dancers sweat in workout clothes (tights, strings, tees, and so on) throughout the story.
Dancers who made the final cut were played by Julia Martin, Nic Rhew, Valeria Flores, Eliana Taub, Andi Brooke Keller, Bebe Moss, Abigail Sanford, Kayla Petersen, Izzy Baker, Sabrina Maristela, Jimmy Metz, Jaheim Hugan, Dakota Krouse, Randy Castillo, Seth Crawford, David Lenahan, Jacob Anderson, and Simeon Schmitt.
Those cut early in the show (and, it might be noted are also understudies for the featured parts) included Edie Barcelona, Lexi Cowan, Quentin Davis, Jordan Eddington, Mariah Hamburg, Maddie O’Brien, Wesley Restrepo, and Tobias Yeung.
From the rallying “I Hope I Get It,” to the wistful “At the Ballet” to melancholic “What I Did for Love,” the songs are (by now) familiar and so opening night’s (occasionally) mumbled lyrics were not a big problem. “One” created a splendid conclusion as each dancer (even those cut first), all garbed in golden outfits, formed a beautiful, stage-filling, chorus line.
David Robison directed the offstage orchestra that included Robison, Michael McCann, Keith Turner, Keller Shea, Lukas Helwig, Emilio Rosario, Juan Ingram, Matt Wirfel, Greg Hillis, Claudia Cangemi, Kent Cleland, Jesse Hodgson, Jason Stebelton, Kirk Georgia, and Bryan Bird. At times, the sound was too loud, which seems like a chronic problem with the Senney system.
Bottom Line: As the musical demonstrates, finding work on a show takes as much (maybe more) effort and determination as finding a job in the corporate world. If you love dancing and love to watch it, then this lively foray into the dance world—one that mixes grace, athletic skill, and music—is for you.