Details: The original won a bunch of Tony Awards. I saw the 2006 revival version. The playbill can be found at http://www.playbill.com/production/a-chorus-line-gerald-schoenfeld-theatre-vault-0000009540
A Chorus Line is one of those legendary musicals that made a bunch of money, won a bunch of awards, but came out decades ago. I had a chance to watch the 2006 revival a while back and, though some of the subject matter is dated, I really enjoyed it.
A Chorus Line is a show about a group of dancers and singers auditioning for the chorus line in a new musical. The entire show takes place during this audition and we learn more of each candidate as they are eliminated and selected for the show.
Something I like about this show and that has been waning in recent Broadway shows is that there is a lot of dancing here. When I think about shows like Dear Evan Hansen, Book of Mormon, even Hamilton (which had some dancing), none of those shows had dance numbers that were as intricate or entertaining as this show. I think that’s a general trend in Broadway and an unfortunate one. A Chorus Line really made me wish that more shows had dance number like this show.
There’s also some great songs sung as well. This show has both great singing and great dancing.
While inclusive, the subject matter of homosexuality has become almost cliché in how often its brought up on Broadway. I think if you like musicals, you’re generally going to be okay with homosexuality considering the substantial number of gay men and the performing arts. What is less okay is how the show addresses race. It’s touched upon only briefly (which is good), but it’s handled ignorantly and with less empathy than the subject of homosexuality.
Overall, this was a great show. The great thing about A Chorus Line is that I can easily see new actors taking up these roles and reviving the show yet again. If you get the chance to see this with a decent cast, you should definitely take that chance and see the performance of some of the most well-known, legendary song and dance numbers in the history of the performing arts.
Score: 7/10
Muse Bank 