REVIEW: “A CHORUS LINE” DANCES FOR THE AGES @ PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE

By Ruth Ross

When it closed in 1990, after 6,137 performances, A Chorus Line was the longest-running production in Broadway history, and although it's been surpassed by other shows, this gem of musical theater has had, as they say, "legs," from its beginnings in the workshop sessions conducted with chorus dancers (known as "gypsies") in 1975 to its most recent incarnation on the stage of the Paper Mill Playhouse, where a splendid production retains the freshness, raw energy and truth that make A Chorus Line a piece of musical theater for the ages.

Unless you have been living on another planet or under a rock, you are familiar with the plot of A Chorus Line. I use the word "plot" loosely, for what unfolds onstage (sans intermission) is more of a situation than a story. Looking to cast dancers for the chorus of a Broadway musical, director Zach and his assistant Larry assemble a group of 17 dancers out of which Zach will select four boys and four girls for the final slots. His process is to have each dancer introduce him/herself and tell a bit about their pasts, their reasons for becoming a dancer—during which secrets and truths will be revealed, many of them more shocking in 1975 than today, but all of them poignant in their naked humanity.

As I watched this very young cast, all of them "unknowns"—albeit very talented unknowns, some with Broadway experience— it struck me that the original performers, some of whom went on to fame, were newcomers too, which makes the show and their stories all the more believable. It is difficult to single out any one performance, for this is truly an ensemble piece. The auditioners start out as individuals, each out for him/herself, but by the final number, they have blended into an ensemble, dressed alike, anonymous, a team.

Martin Harvey's Zach is a tough taskmaster, his voice reverberating throughout the theater from his position at the back of the auditorium. He doesn't sing a note, but he controls the action, reacting and coaxing the dancers to reveal themselves. His interaction with his former love Cassie, however, reveals a human being behind the stentorian voice, and we sense his pain over their break-up.

Cassie, the most experienced of the 17 (and the best dancer of the lot) is beautifully portrayed by Jessica Lee Goldyn. She's luscious to look at, has a beautiful voice and really tears up the stage in her solo number, "The Music and the Mirror," which is especially entrancing when five mirrors replace the three behind her, multiplying her image and making it look like an entire chorus line of Cassies dancing.

Rachelle Rak is stellar as Sheila, complete with a mega-attitude and arrogant showgirl strut. Her height and posture make her stand out from the opening moments, but her revelations in "At the Ballet" show a vulnerable side lurking beneath her tough exterior. Val, performed by a perky Ashley Arcement, extols the power of a good figure in "Dance 10, Looks 3" with great comedic timing. It is interesting to note that the director of this production, Mitzi Hamilton, was the inspiration for the role and played it in London in 1976! And Gabrielle Ruiz's Diana (left, center) really conveys her character's resilience in the two numbers she performs, "Nothing" and "What I Did for Love." Her voice gains power in the latter as the entire group joins her to let us know how much dancing means to these artists.

Other standouts include Kyle Vaughn as Bobby, Kyle Brown as Greg, Kevin Curtis as Richie (the lively basketball player-school teacher turned dancer; right) and J. Manual Santos, who is heartbreakingly terrific as Paul, ashamed of his past but determined to make it on Broadway. Julia Freyer s an awkward skinny-minnie Judy, Nikka Graff Lanzarone as a dour Bebe, Alexzandra Sarmiento as a sarcastic Connie and Karley Willocks as the garrulous Maggie also excel. It is difficult to single out individual performers, for all do a first-rate job; even if they don't perform solos, they really rock it in the six numbers that involve the entire company.

One would think that a set for such a production would be simple—nothing but a bare stage—but James Dardenne has provided two sets of mirrors that multiply the action to make it swirl around the stage and give us a bird’s-eye view. Julie Duro's lighting and Gail Baldoni's costumes add to the "you-are-there" feeling experienced by the audience. And director Hamilton has restaged the original direction and choreography in such a way that if you have seen a previous production, this one feels fresh but not glaringly (and gratingly) new.

I confess that A Chorus Line is, if not my favorite, one of my favorite musicals. The score, which I have heard a million times, is way better when performed onstage, where it benefits from the set and the interaction of the performer(s) with the other actors. And this group didn't just sing the words; they acted them too. Marvin Hamlisch's music is familiar yet new in this production. We will miss his genius. His idea that music is a language everyone understands enables A Chorus Line to speak to all generations. Thank you to the Paper Mill Playhouse for bringing this impressive and wonderful production to its stage for us to see once again—or for the very first time!

A Chorus Line will be performed at the Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, through October 28. For show dates and times, and tickets, call the box office at 973/376.4343 or visit www.papermill.org.

Note: Patrons of the Sunday, October 7, evening performance were treated to a tribute to Marvin Hamlisch featuring the return of almost 50 alumni of the show. These included performers from the original, touring and revival productions. Originators of various roles included Kelly Bishop (Sheila), Mitzi Hamilton (Val in the London production and inspiration for the role), Priscilla Lopez (Diana Morales) and Scott Allen (Mike), along with Denice Pence-Boockvor and Steve Boockvoor (inspirations for Kristine and Al, respectively).

Photos by Jerry Dalia.