SPOTLIGHT ON
A CHORUS LINE TAKES THE STAGE
It was a late January night in 1974 when Michael Bennett (a choreographer, director, and of course, dancer) placed a tape recorder in the center of a studio floor. He was surrounded by dancers of all ages and experiences. He’d gathered them all for an idea that he had about a new musical: one that would come to be called A Chorus Line
In that room, over a number of sessions, the dancers left behind their life stories, their hopes and dreams, their fears of fewer jobs for dancers on Broadway...and about 30 hours of recordings. Bennett, disillusioned by what he called “the falsehood and apathy” of the political world, gathered these tapes and created a performance that would “show people being honest with one another.” And honest they were—A Chorus Line, created from these tapes, was an amalgamation of harsh, devastating, hopeful, and triumphant stories, all based on the lives of real dancers.
With these recordings in hand, Bennett introduced the idea to producer Joseph Papp, who gave him permission to use the Public Theater to workshop the show. A Chorus Line premiered in 1975, instantly taking the theatre world by storm. After three months, it moved to the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 6,137 performances—once the longest running show on Broadway, now the 7th longest.
The cast of A Chorus Line. Photo by Martha Swope.
The cast of A Chorus Line. Photo by Martha Swope.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHOW
Unlike the usual shows that Broadway tended to attract, A Chorus Line had an incredibly simple set and costumes, something that was practically unheard of at the time (Broadway was known for its glitz and glamour!). Still, it paid off, as this simplistic style appealed to both audiences and critics alike.
Bennett was also extremely involved in the production, fine tuning every second to fit his vision. His choreography tended to uniquely reflect each show he worked on—A Chorus Line was no different. Bennett implemented a dance style he called “cinematic staging,” where the audience’s attention is pulled to and from each person like a jump-cut in a movie. Just like the dancers’ fight for Zach’s attention, they’re also fighting for yours.
50 YEARS OF SINGULAR SENSATIONS
Over the past 50 years, A Chorus Line has made its mark globally across thousands of performances. As the years go by, one thing still remains the same—generations of dancers have flocked to this special show and left it all on the line. Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Fifty!
Michael Bennett with the original cast of A Chorus Line
Photo by Martha Swope.
Michael Bennett and A Chorus Line dancers from multiple companies celebrating the 3,389th performance, officially making A Chorus Line the longest running show in Broadway history (as of 1983). Photo by Martha Swope.
Berkvist, Robert. “How
Chorus Line’ Was Born.”