WHAT’S HAPPENING BROADWAY FANS. IN 13 DAYS AWAY, we will be experience an epic centennial edition of a true New York MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. We are talking about the 100th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day. There is lot of excitement amongst the one a year life event as we kick off the holiday season. For us personally, it’s all about the incredible Broadway acts taking center stage in front of that famed Macy’s store in Herald Square. To get us in the moon, we got another legendary performance heading your way on our TOP 30 BROADWAY AT MACY’S COUNTDOWN. Are you ready for another Broadway toe tapper?
At # 13 on our countdown, we experience a show about the first step that over millions of aspiring performers go through with wanting to be in a cast of a show… The auditions. In addition, we get to learn about some of those performers who are wanting to prove to the director why they deserve the gig. Of course, we are talking about the legendary musical A Chorus Line. The show featured a score by the late Marvin Hamlisch and late Edward Kleban, a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, and of course legendary direction and staging by the late Michael Bennett.
From the 2007 telecast, the cast of the most prior Broadway revival step onto that iconic line in Herald Square to learn an epic hat and high kicking combination performing one of the musical’s beloved signature songs…… ONE.
A CHORUS LINE was initially first conceived as a set of taped workshop sessions in 1974, by Michon Peacock and Tony Stevens. They were developing an experimental project, to create a set of workshop study programs that celebrates dancers in the Theater…. Better known at the time as ”Gypsies”.
One day, a fellow dancer by the name of Michael Bennett (who appeared in the chorus on various Broadway shows and tours) was invited to observe one of the workshops. However, everything changed as Bennett took over proceedings. Bennett set up a series of interviews recording hours upon hours of 24 dancers talking about their personal journey. In addition, Bennett asked some super intense tough questions too… the most favorite as in tfe final product…. ”What would you do if you can’t dance anymore ”? So inspired by what he was hearing, an idea came about. It was a celebration musical about dancers in the theater and the crucial journey of making it came into place….. From THE DANCER WORKSHOP to A CHORUS LINE. Bennett passed on the dancer interview recording sessions over to composer friends Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban, who took what they heard into music and lyrics. James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante also came on to do the book.
From there, the workshop of the new musical started. Initially, when it was done, there would be a random selection of characters, even if they didn’t sing or speak much, based on their performance quality, on who would book the chorus jobs. However, producers, creators, and audience members, who saw the early workshop performance, did NOT like this idea. It would even upset the audience and company, notably for the central role of dancer “Cassie” turned down after all she went through. Actress Marsha Mason, attended the workshop and told Bennett to always keep “Cassie”. That’s not all, the costume department hated the idea, putting them under stress to quickly change random actors, just in time for the finale. Eventually, it led to the same set of characters being “cast.” including “Cassie”.
A year later in the Spring of 1975, A CHORUS LINE started its life Off Broadway at The Public Theater. At the time, the Public itself did not have enough money to finance the production, borrowing $1.6 million to produce the show. Luckily, thanks to the early reception, the show became…. Like the song says…. ONE SINGULAR SENSATION. The demands for ticket sales were so high, it sold out its remaining performances of the run. Eventually, it led to the next level.
In the Summer of 1975, A CHORUS LINE officially opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre.
Rave reviews kept coming. Everyone wanted to get a ticket to see this masterpiece. It opened the doors to aspiring dancers, wanting to come to New York City and start a life in the theater.
In addition, it made history as the at-the-time RECORD BREAKING LONGEST RUNNING SHOW IN BROADWAY HISTORY. By the time it closed in April 1990, it ran for a legendary 6,137 PERFORMANCES for 15 YEARS, an amount that would be surpassed by the many musicals that came in afterwards, notably many of the musicals from London.
Under the direction of Michael Bennett and choreography by Bob Avian , that famous original cast included….
Robert LuPone as ”Zach”
Priscilla Lopez as ”Diana Morales”,
Donna McKecknie as ”Cassie Ferguson”
Wayne Cilento as ”Mike Costa”,
Kelly Bishop as ”Sheila Bryant”,
Clive Clerk as ”Larry”,
Baayork Lee as ”Connie Wong”,
Ronald Dennis as ”Richie Walters”,
Sammy Williams as ”Paul San Marco,
Pamela Blair as ”Val Clerk”,
Nancy Lane as ”Bebe Bezenheimer”,
& more.
In the 15 years it lasted, there was a super long roster of replacements who stepped in to fill the shoes of the original triple threat talents, even after the original cast left.
The success of the original production of A CHORUS LINE lasted an unforgettable legacy of accolades. It was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1976, taking home 9 wins for….
The top honor as BEST MUSICAL,
BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL (for James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante),
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (for Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban),
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Donna McKechnie),
BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for Sammy Williams),
BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Kelly Bishop)
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL (for Michael Bennett),
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (for Michael Bennett and Bob Avian),
&
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (for Tharon Musser)
In addition, the show also made history as one of the few musicals EVER to receive the Putlizer Prize for Drama. Other Award wins include….
7 categories for the Drama Desk Awards that year including OUTSTANDING MUSICAL,
the entire company received a special Theatre World Award,
and
It also received the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for BEST MUSICAL.
Later on in 1984, A CHORUS LINE received an additional special Tony Award as THE LONGEST RUNNING BROADWAY MUSICAL
Besides NYC,A CHORUS LINE became a worldwide commercial phenomenon launching companies on tour, in London (winning the Olivier Award for BEST NEW MUSICAL), in Australia, and all over the world.
It would be revived TWICE in New York City starting in 2006 with a new remounting of the original production, directed by the original choreographer Bob Avian. In addition, original cast member Baayork Lee helped reconstruct the choreography. The news of the show coming back to Broadway featured an extensive major open casting call, where over 3,000+ hopefuls auditioned to land a spot in the cast of performers portraying to be performers.
After an out-of-town tryout in San Francisco, CA, this revival arrived on Broadway at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
Like it did when it first opened in 1975, the revival received critical praises and happiness that a younger generation would experience this love letter to dancers in the theater. It even recouped its $8 Million investment exactly 19 weeks into the run.
This production did really well but was struggling with ticket sales after the recouping, notably in 2007 when Broadway was shut down for 19 days due to the stagehand strike. The revival would run for only 2 years, it closed in 2008 after 18 PREVIEWS and 759 REGULAR PERFORMANCES
With Avian direction and Lee choreographing, the cast was led by….
Michael Berresee (later Grant Turner and Mario Lopez) as ”Zach”
Natalie Cortez as ”Diana Morales”,
Charlotte d’Amboise (later Nadine Isenegger and Jessica Lee Goldyn) as ”Cassie Ferguson”
Jeffrey Schecter as ”Mike Costa”,
Deidre Goodwin as ”Sheila Bryant”,
Tyler Hanes (later Nick Adams) as ”Larry”,
Yuka Takara (later Lisa Ho and J. Elaine Marcos) as ”Connie Wong”,
James T. Lane as ”Richie Walters”,
Jason Tam as ”Paul San Marco,
Jessica Lee Goldyn (later Jenifer Foote) as ”Val Clerk”,
Alison Porter (later Krysta Rodriguez and Dena DiGiacinto) as ”Bebe Bezenheimer”,
& more.
The revival was nominated for 2 Tony Awards for BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL and BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Charlotte d’Amboise). But, it lost both its categories).
The revival went on to tour across America and be revived in London’s West End in 2013.
A CHORUS LINE was last in NYC as a full-scale production in 2018 with a week-long run at New York City Center, as the show for its annual GALA production. Once again, it was a remounting of the iconic production we all know in love.
It was well received by critics and theater goers attending. The legacy keeps on going.
Once again, under Bob Avian’s direction and Baayork Lee choreographing, the GALA cast was led by….
Tony Yazbeck (who played ”Al” in the 2006 revival) this time playing the role of director ”Zach”
Tara Kostmayer as ”Diana Morales”,
Robyn Hurder as ”Cassie Ferguson”
Tommy Bracco as ”Mike Costa”,
Leigh Zimmerman as ”Sheila Bryant”,
Ryan Steele as ”Larry”,
Jolina Javier as ”Connie Wong”,
Anthony Wayne as ”Richie Walters”,
Eddie Gutierrez as ”Paul San Marco,
J. Elaine Marcos as ”Val Clerk”,
Naomi C. Walley as ”Bebe Bezenheimer”,
& more.
Most recently last year in 2025, A CHORUS LINE celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a special one night only concert event. Performed at its original come in the Shubert Theatre, benefitted the Entertainment Community Fund, featuring performances including a reunion of the still-alive original Broadway cast members, veterans from previous companies, super fans performing their take on classic songs, and a spectacular finale of the generation of Broadway dancers.
In addition to its success on stage, A CHORUS LINE was also captured on screen. The movie version was released in 1985 from Columbia Pictures.
This film took a while till it felt ready to be produced as many directors and producers did NOT want to touch it, as it was so beloved, it would be impossible to change something up with the musical in adapting it for the big screen. In addition, many people believed it would ruin the spark of what the stage production is all about. Even for director Richard Attenborough, the pressure was on. In addition, screenwriter Arnold Schulman scrapped the main center of the storyline mainly about the dancers, and more as a melodrama about the relationship mainly between director ”Zach” and dancer ”Cassie”. There was even a new song added in called SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Several beloved numbers were cut as well. It was filmed in our NYC Theater district, with the audition scenes taking place at the Royale Theatre (now the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre).
In the end, the film version received mixed to negative reviews. Some praised the musical numbers. Notably, many people were angered by all the film updates and it lacked the xeart and soul of the story.
Under the direction of Arnold Schulman and choreography by Jeffrey Hornaday, the cast was led by…
Michael Douglas as ”Zach”,
Yamil Borges as ”Diana Morales”,
Alyson Reed as ”Cassie Ferguson”
Charles McGowan as ”Mike Cass” (formerly ”Costa”),
Vicki Frederick as ”Sheila Bryant”,
Terrence Mann as ”Larry”,
Jan Gan Boyd as ”Connie Wong”,
Gregg Burge as ”Richie Walters”,
Cameron English as ”Paul San Marco,
Audrey Landers as ”Val Clerk”,
Michelle Johnston as ”Bebe Benson Bezenheimer” (formerly ”Bezenheimer”),
& more.
Despite the failure, the film went on to be nominated for several Awards including… a few Oscars for BEST SOUND, BEST FILM EDITING, and BEST ORIGINAL SONG (for SURPRISE, SURPRISE). In addition, it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY. But, it lost all its categories.
Today, A CHORUS LINE is a continued popular musical performed in schools, community, and regional theaters worldwide. It continues to inspire generations to keep believing and never giving up on your dreams. At the end, you become ONE SINGULAR SENSATION.
How iconic is that opening number?!
Isn’t A CHORUS LINE such a classic?
WATCH A CHORUS LINE MACY’S PERFORMANCE
https://youtu.be/AEXzwQNvnNk?is=XLtRw8vKJZa2uP_H
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