Date: Fri 10-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-13

Quick Words:

WestConn-Chorus-Line-theatre

Full Text:

The Acting Makes WestConn's "Chorus" A Singular Sensation!

(Theatre Review)

( A Chorus Line , WestConn/Berkshire Theatre)

By Julie Stern

DANBURY - WestConn has done it again!

The university's drama department's fall musical production of A Chorus Line

is right up there in a class with shows of past seasons - Grease and My Fair

Lady - and if you are lucky enough to get through to the box office quickly,

you may just be able to get tickets before the three-week run (which concludes

November 18) is completely sold out.

Originally conceived by Michael Bennett, the idea behind A Chorus Line was to

explore the lives of the people who make up the humblest element of a Broadway

musical: the anonymous dancers of the chorus line, who are usually perceived

as a seamless whole, smiling and kicking in mindless unison.

The "show" is in rehearsal. It is understood there are stars who will be the

really important fixtures but we never get to see them, nor do we know

anything about the plot or the setting.

Instead, we hear the magnified voice of Zach, the choreographer-director, as

he goes through the relentless process of selecting among some two dozen

applicants, the four "boys" and four "girls" who will survive the final hiring

cut. The premise is since they are all good dancers, Zach will choose them on

the basis of something more - personality, desire, chemistry.

In order to distinguish between them, Zach attempts to draw them out through a

series of probing questions, beginning with how old are you and where are you

from and moving into deeper territory - why did you become a dancer? what did

your family think of you? what will you do when you can't dance any more?

This sets the stage for a string or dramatic and musical monologues, creating

16 sharply-etched portraits that capture the essence of these anxious,

hopeful, hard-working hoofers, every one of whom desperately wants and needs

the job.

There is Diana, the fiery Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx; Judy, the spacey

long-legged blonde from El Paso; and Don, the older guy from Kansas City with

a wife and two kids to support. There is also the supercilious Greg, Mike the

acrobatic wiseguy from Trenton, Bobby the oddball refugee from Buffalo; Val,

the sassy little girl from Danver who finds a future through plastic surgery;

and little Connie, who at four-foot ten is forever overlooked.

Among the older women in the group, the hard boiled and aggressive Sheila is

competing with the fragile Cassie, who was once Zach's mistress and is now

begging for a second chance, in the chorus line. And then there is Paul, the

wistful, frightened boy from the Bronx nursing his own painful secret.

There is a lot of ensemble dancing, which is very good, but what makes this

show work is the acting. In delineating all these personalities, the entire

cast is uniformly superb. Under Brad Blake's direction, the members become

those aspring chorines. Every one of them stays in character at all times -

their facial expressions, body language, gestures are so perfect it is hard to

remember they are a bunch of college kids playing a role.

By the time Zach is ready to make the final decision, we have all become so

involved with all of the characters that the tension hangs over the theatre

and those in the audience are on the edge of their seats.

If you are familiar with the show and love the music, know that Jacqueline

Rodda does a great job with Diana's two numbers, "Nothing" and "What I Did For

Love." Lauren K. Wolfe is hilarious as Val in the famous T and A song. And

Jacqueline J. Decho, Sara Constantinople and Tina Lynne Principe give a moving

rendition of "Everything is Beautiful (At the Ballet)" while Mike Hartel has a

lot of fun showing "I Can Do That."

Kristin Eifert gives a passionate performance as Carrie, as well as doubling

as co-choreographer and assistant costumer. Ed Medvecky gives a powerful

performance as Paul, and Vin Roca brings the character of Zach onto the stage

rather than remaining a disembodied voice, the way the part is usually played.

There is a strong 16-piece pit orchestra, and fine costuming done by Helen

Masterson, all of which add to the professionalism of this very fine group.

For less than half of what you would pay at Gateway's Candlewood, and a fifth

of what it would cost to see the show in New York, WestConn's A Chrous Line is

as good here as it ever was anywhere... timeless, spirited, ebullient and

moving. An absolute treat.

WestConn's presentation of A Chorus Line continues at the Berkshire Theatre,

Osborne Street in Danbury, through November 18. Curtain is Wednesday through

Saturday at 8 pm. Call 837-8732 for ticket information or reservations.