[NEohioPAL] Berko review: A CHORUS LINE (Playhouse Square--Palace Theatre)

[Roy Berko]

‘A CHORUS
LINE’:  NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE!
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES
NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain
County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times  
 
--coolcleveland.com--
 
 So there is no question about the
basis of this review:  I am ‘A
CHORUS LINE’ fanatic.  I love the
show!   This affection carries
with it a problem...I go into productions of the show with the fear that the
director/choreographer/actors are going to give me visual and emotional
mind-burn.   
 
Unfortunately,
the touring production of ‘A CHORUS LINE,’ now on stage at the Palace Theatre,
is a major disappointment!  It
lacks energy.  It lacks the quality
of acting, dancing and singing that makes the show a theatrical feast.
 
The results
are very surprising considering that the tour has only been on the road since
the beginning of May, so there is no reason for the general look of exhaustion
from the cast.  It is directed by
Bob Avian, who was the co-choreographer of the original show which opened
on-Broadway in 1975, won nine Tony Awards and ran for nearly 15 years, and
closed in 1990 after 6,137 performances.   This can’t be the show that opened in a Big Apple
revival to rave reviews in 2006 and was billed as “exhilarating,” “endearing,”
and “a masterpiece.”
 
‘A CHORUS
LINE’ was originally conceived, directed, and choreographed by Michael Bennett,
the recognized genius of theatre choreographers.  It has music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban.
The book was assembled by Elyria native James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante.   
 
The script
was not written by the traditional means of a writer conceiving a plot.  ‘A CHORUS LINE’  began as a workshop "share"
session. A group of dancers met after rehearsals for other shows to talk about
their personal and professional lives. The sessions were tape recorded, written
down, and a libretto was pieced together. Their combined work, guided closely
by Bennett, resulted in a staging scheme that filled the songs and book with
overlapping layers. 
 
The final
result was a story set in a Broadway theater. Young hopefuls are auditioning
for a job in the chorus line of a musical.   As each speaks, sings and dances, we learn about their
hopes, insecurities and dreams.  And eventually, their individuality becomes blurred as they become part
of the chorus line, blending together into a unit of one…a chorus line.
 
What has
always stood out in the show was Michael Bennett’s amazing choreography.  Unfortunately, in the touring
production Baayork Lee, who restaged the moves, didn’t demand Bennett’s
perfectionism, the use of what he called “cinematic staging.”  The Bennett signatures of slanted
bodies, tilted heads, precise hand and arm movements, the flick of the wrist
that turns the hats, aren’t there in total harmony.  
 
Bennett used
a constant "jump-cutting" so the audience's attention is shifted from
one figure to another.  This draws
focus to the character by placing the visual spotlight on that person.  Bennett also used a series of mirrors
to spotlight performers and make them stand out bigger than life in the eyes of
the audience.  This production lost
many of those qualities.
 
The cast is
uneven.  Gabrielle Ruiz’s (Diana)
“Nothing” was well interpreted, but her “What I Did for Love” ” failed to
capture the mood and meaning of the song.   Hollie Howard (Maggie) has a great voice, Derek Hanson
(Don) has the Bennett dance attitude and moves, and Emily Fletcher has the
right attitude as Sheila.  Kevin
Santos hits Paul’s emotional self-revealing monologue right on, not only
bringing tears to his eyes but to the eyes of many in the audience.  
 
On the other
hand, Nikki Snelson doesn’t display the dancing, acting or singing skills to
pull off the pivotal role of Cassie.  Elise Hall (Val) fails to get the necessary humor from “Dance;  Ten; Looks:  Three).  She
doesn’t compare with Elyria’s Crissy Wilzak, who played the role during part of
the original Broadway run.
 
CAPSULE
JUDGEMENT:  The touring production
of ‘A CHORUS LINE’ misses the mark of being a “singular sensation,” which it
should have been.  It’s not, as a
line from the show says, “nothing,” but it should have been so much more!
 
‘A
CHORUS LINE’ runs through October 26 at the Palace Theatre.  Tickets can
be ordered by calling 216-241-6000 or going to www.playhousesquare.org.
 
 Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2008, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)