"A Chorus Line"--the touring company--a review

A Chorus Line (Coming to Fort Lauderdale February 17-March 1)



(Buell Theater, Denver; 2,792 seats; $100 top) A John Breglio for Vienna Waits Prods. presentation of a musical in one act conceived by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban. Directed by Bob Avian. Music direction and supervision, Patrick Vaccariello. Choreography restaged by Baayork Lee.

Bobby - Ian Liberto
Don - Derek Hanson
Zach - Michael Gruber
Diana - Gabrielle Ruiz
Cassie - Nikki Snelson
Maggie - Hollie HOward
Val - Natalie Hall
Sheila - Emily Fletcher
Larry - John Carroll
Richie - Anthony Wayne
Mark - Jay Armstrong Johnson
Judy - Stephanie Gibson
Greg - Denis Lambert
Bebe - Pilar Millhollen
Mike - Clyde Alves
Connie - Jessica Wu
Paul - Kevin Santos
Kristine - Jessica Latshaw
Al - Colt Prattes



By BOB BOWS

The successful 2006 Broadway revival of the long-running "A Chorus Line" hit the road with loads of traction in a spirited Mile High City tour premiere. The immediacy of the original bare-bones staging, wisely re-created for this production, should appeal to heartland audiences eager to revisit the breakthrough creativity of the late Michael Bennett's show, which swept the Tonys and bagged the Pulitzer Prize in 1976.

While the traveling production could perhaps use a trim to maintain its momentum and not overplay its one-act welcome with certain audience segments, its strong character work upholds the power of the autobiographical tales, the drama of the audition and casting process and the overall emotional arc of "a day in the life" of a chorus dancer.

Clyde Alves kicks things off with an energetic "I Can Do That"; Emily Fletcher stops the show early with her magnetic take on statuesque Sheila, the over-the-top femme fatale; Kevin Santos breaks our hearts as shy, gay Paul; Jessica Latshaw finds the perfect quirky pitch as tone-deaf Kristine; Natalie Hall turns up the heat in "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three"; and Nikki Snelson bares her soul as Cassie, the out-of-work former lead and onetime girlfriend of the director. And then there's that glorious finish!

You gotta love this bunch: tall, short, shapely, thin, straight, gay, black, white, brown, yellow, from small towns and outlying metropolises -- they pour into the Big Apple with dreams and talent, willing to work for low pay and no promise of tomorrow. This enduring show still makes us marvel at their guts and share their love of dance.

Sets, Robin Wagner; costumes, Theoni V. Aldredge; lighting, Tharon Musser, adapted by Natasha Katz; sound, Acme Sound Partners; orchestrations, Jonathan Tunick, Bill Byers, Hershy Kay; vocal arrangements, Don Pippin; production stage manager, Ray Gin. Opened, reviewed, May 9, 2008. Running time: 2 HOURS, 5 MIN.