Grapevine Green Room
By Lary Crews
It is a Herculean task to bring Michael Bennett's creation to full artistic life. You have to find a cast that can dance, sing, and act all at a top-notch level, not an easy task. Director Rocco Morabito and co-director/choreographer Ronnie DeMarco assembled an amazing cast of young triple-threat entertainers and taught them to deliver the energy, pathos and excitement of the grueling audition process in nearly perfect performances, individually and collectively. Music/choral director Jeremy D. Silverman achieved beautiful harmonies from the cast and exceptional musical support from a 12-member pit orchestra.
On one level, A Chorus Line is about a chorus audition for a Broadway musical, but it is also a powerful metaphor for all human aspiration. It tells of the achingly poignant ambitions of the chorus dancers, those valiant, over-dedicated, underpaid, highly trained performers who back up the star or stars and often make them look even more talented than they are. A Chorus Line is also about competition, the common denominator that grabs the audience and holds it by the collective heartstring until the final, ultimate choices are made. For everyone, at one time or another, puts their life on the line. We all compete, no matter what business we're in, for promotion, for attention, for approval and for love.
This is a rare musical that swims in realism. The monologues come from real dancers who lived these lives. For this musical's message to work, there must be a peeling of inner layers to bring forth subtext, organic truth, naturalism, and the believability of these troubled, lonely, battered dancers.
A Chorus Line takes the audience through the final grueling audition run by the director, Zach (Scott Hamilton), for a new Broadway musical. At the beginning of the show, Zach, a driven, compulsive worker, has assembled some two dozen semi-finalists and is putting them through a vigorous series of dance combinations, including ballet and jazz. Soon he thins this group down to the final sixteen, eight boys and eight girls. They and the audience know that eventually this number will be cut in half and Zach will choose only four boys and four girls to be in his new musical.
Instead of having them read a short audition scene, Zach wants to elicit a personal history from each one: how they got into "show business," why they became dancers, what their hopes, fantasies and aspirations are. As he calls upon them individually, they react in every possible way, from bravado to reticence. From childhood on, their memories emerge, blending into a seamless series of musical numbers and monologues,
Some are humorous (Dance: Ten; Looks: Three by Brittany McDonald). Some are poignant and lovely (At the Ballet by Kristine Weinstein, Sandi Williams and Ashley Massicotte). Some are group reminiscences when they all share their adolescent experiences (Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love) and some are intimate (The Music and the Mirror by Suzanne Dani’L)
As their individual stories pour out in songs interspersed with dance, the audience, as well as Zach, gets to know each one of these ambitious entertainers individually, so that by the show's end, they can identify and root for their favorites as well as empathize with all of them because they all need the job, they all want to work at their craft.
Chrissy Dobrowski was an extraordinary surprise as Diana Morales. Dobrowski seemed to truly comprehend the emotional core and subtext that makes up her character. Both of her solos were performed with honesty, clarity, and organic truth. And, as an actress, she expertly expressed the painful memories of a cruel acting teacher. Her rendition of What I Did For Love created the right amount of painful pathos and hope.
Another impressive performance was entirely dramatic. Midway through the audition, the dancers are ordered off stage. During this break, Zach, the mysterious and inquisitive director (Scott Hamilton), is confronted by Cassie (Suzanne Dani’L). It becomes obvious that the two share a turbulent romantic history and now, after a failed stint in Hollywood, Cassie is back on Broadway to audition for her ex. The scene which ensues between them is moving and memorable not just because of the writing or the staging, but because of the real chemistry which seemed to flow on stage between Hamilton and Dani’L. Their relationship came across as incredibly real and stood out on its own as a fine piece of drama.
Corey Horton gave a terrific performance as Mike with his number, I Can Do That. Horton’s facial expressions and comic delivery were right on the money.
Candice Queen presented the right amount of sass and ditsy as Judy, the girl from El Paso who keeps forgetting her audition number. She hit the mark with her comedic monologue about learning how to kiss.
Danny Harrigan as Mark gave an engaging, delightful performance that achieved laughs during his monologue about visiting the priest concerning his medical problem.
Anita Travaglino was hilarious as Kristine, the dancer who can't sing worth a lick.
Fadi Akhtar (Paul) had a big, dramatic monologue toward the end of the evening which was absolutely mesmerizing, bringing many in the audience to tears. Paul is a quiet, intensely private man who does not want anyone to know his life. Akhtar expertly achieved the honest, organic, truthful emotional breakdown that the scene requires.
Kristine Weinstein also shone as Sheila, the tough-talking, wry veteran who fears her time may be running out.
James Grennelle (Bobby), Hayden Milanes (Ritchie), and Ashley Massicotte (Maggie) were other standouts among the ensemble, and they were matched nearly step-for-step by Tisha Ballowe, Sarah Dixie, Catherine Fowles, Gina Germano, Jared Koceja, Jani West-Roberts, Seth Tavaglino, Kare Upton, Sandi Williams and Marcus Yi.
The Eight O'Clock Theatre production was topnotch, certainly on the level of the best professional productions anywhere in the country. A Chorus Line brought tears to the eyes and cheers in the aisles during a bunch of sold-out performances in early November and more than one audience member was heard to call it, “The best musical I've seen this year.”
