As part of Park Square Theatre's 50th Anniversary season, they're bringing us the quintessential musical about musicals,
A Chorus Line, which is also celebrating its 50th Anniversary. I had the privilege and the pleasure of
attending a rehearsal with my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers less than one week before opening night, where Park Square's Artistic Director (and director of this piece) Stephen DiMenna told us that he chose this show not just for the serendipity of 50 years, but also to fit in the "behind the scenes" theme of the season, and because he has a personal connection to the show. As he notes in the program, the original production was the first Broadway show he saw, and Robert LuPone (original cast member, and Patti's brother, who passed away a few years ago), was a friend and mentor; he dedicates this show to him. To help recreate this iconic piece of music-theater-dance history on the Park Square stage, he enlisted Eddie Gutiérrez from the Michael Bennett Estate to serve as associate director and choreographer. What you will see in downtown St. Paul in 2026 is very similar to what audiences saw on Broadway in 1976, in terms of choreography, music, direction, and even lighting and costume design. That is not to say this is a cookie cutter reproduction; a lot of very talented (and mostly local) artists are bringing their own talents to the piece and making it sing in a way that makes this a unique production, or as one might say, a singular sensation. It's an outstanding show that is funny, moving, relatable (even to non-dancers), and danced with precision and heart (
playing Wednesdays through Sundays until June 14).
A Chorus Line is based on stories of actual chorus line dancers in the '70s, and is brilliantly constructed (it's one of only ten musicals to win a Pulitzer Prize). Creator, director, and choreographer Michael Bennett, himself a former chorus boy, taped conversations with dancers that were used to shape the story. Atypical for a Broadway musical, it doesn't really have a big overarching plot or the usual love story. Taking place in one day at an audition, it's instead a character study of these 17 people all fighting for eight jobs on the chorus line of a Broadway show. We learn something about each one of them - their past, how they got to where they are, and where they want to go. The book (by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante) and score (by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban) are also atypical; it doesn't follow the usual structure of 3-5 minute song followed by dialogue followed by another song. Rather the music and dialogue are organically interwoven, some songs just a line or two, some, like the "Hello Twelve" montage, last more than 15 minutes. There are funny moments (the troubles of adolescence) and heartbreaking moments (a young gay man inadvertently coming out to his parents). Perhaps the biggest character arc is Cassie, a former chorus girl and former lover of director Zach who's returning to the chorus line after trying to make it in Hollywood. But every character feels important and specific.*
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Zach (Tyler Michaels King) leads "the kids"
(photo by Dan Norman) |
This huge and mostly local cast is just perfection. Notably, nine of the 28 (including the two swings, both of whom went on opening night due to illness amongst the cast) also performed in
Lyric Arts' fabulous 2023 production, most of them in the same role, which just shows how perfect they are (and what great work Lyric did finding their cast). Many of the others have performed locally with Collide Theatrical Dance Company or Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (the talent pool in this town runs deep). Highlights in the cast are truly too many to mention, each one of them is so great and specific in their character choices, even the intentionally not as strong dancers who are cut in the first round near the beginning of the show (shout out to Cody C. Carlson who performs the wrong movements with such confidence and glee). Leading the proceedings is Tyler Michaels King as the director Zach, crisply performing the audition routine as an example, and then spending most of the show out of sight, just a voice coming from the back of the theater as he leads the auditions, yet creating a full character who feels like he's there even when he's not. Noah Coon beautifully dances the role of Zach's assistant Larry, who leads the dancers through their moves.
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| on the line (photo by Dan Norman) |
Amongst the 17 dancers left to dance for the job, each has a moment or two to shine at center stage. To name just a few: Steven Rada with the most moving monologue of the show as Paul, just standing alone center stage and making us all cry; Camryn Buelow with just the perfect sardonic attitude as Sheila; Dayle Theisen hilariously and adorably performing "Dance 10, Looks 3" (
Sandra Dee's all grown up!); Chris Owusu with unbelievable energy in "Gimme the Ball;" Marley Ritchie as Diana (reprising her role from Lyric's production) leading the signature song "What I Did for Love" with much emotion; and understudy Anna Novak, who stepped into the dance shoes of Cassie on opening night and danced her heart out. But really everyone is spectacular and if there's a flaw in this show, it's that there's so much happening on stage it's impossible to watch everything at once (and may require repeated viewing). And that there's no curtain call during which to leap to your feet and heap praise upon these triple threats, or rather, the iconic final number (brilliantly rendered here) is one long curtain call, the lights fading to black during the final kickline.
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| the chorus line (photo by Dan Norman) |
Another downside to the show is that you can't see the terrific twelve-piece band, but there's simply no room. Music director Wesley Frye leads them on keys somewhere backstage, and they sound awesome on this big brassy '70s era score. Choreographer Eddie Gutiérrez does an amazing job recreating the original choreography, perhaps slightly tweaked to fit the space and the cast. We also got to chat with him at the rehearsal last week about his history with and love for the show (he played Paul in the 50th Anniversary celebration last year). Watching him work with the dancers was revelatory; the precision and specificity in the dance moves, down to the turn of the foot, or lean of the shoulder, or placement of the elbows, is unbelievable. The placement of the dancers on stage, from standing in the iconic line, to various vignettes throughout the piece, is just perfection. And this care and attention to detail is what has kept Michael Bennett's choreography alive for 50 years. It's truly a privilege to experience this historic piece of theater that's still so vital and vibrant.
The set design is necessarily and appropriately sparse; the play takes place on a theater stage, and that's where we are, no embellishment required. Other than a row of mirrors at the back of the stage sometimes covered by black curtains. The lighting design creates dramatic moments, highlights certain performers, and provides for quiet emotional moments. The '70s-tastic costumes strongly hint at the original design, tailored for this gorgeous cast, with lots of leotards and bellbottoms, and of course the iconic gold suits and top hats. (Scenic design by Benjamin Olsen, lighting design by Karin Olson, sound design by Sean Healy, costume design by Mathew LeFebvre.)
Very few of us can relate to the life of a Broadway dancer, but everyone has something that they love, that they spill blood, sweat, and tears for, that even if/when the day comes you can no longer do it, you won't forget, can't regret, the time you put into it. Whether that's running, or writing about theater, or caring for your family, or a career in your chosen profession. That's what makes this show resonate so strongly. It's not just an inside look at the world of musical theater; its themes of adolescence, acceptance, figuring out who you are and what you want to be, and dedicating your life to something that you love, are universal, told with raw honesty and unabashed sincerity.* So much thoughtfulness and heart went into creating this uniquely wonderful version of this musical theater classic (I witnessed it firsthand behind the scenes), and
it shows in every golden moment.
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