THEATER REVIEW
“A Chorus Line”
Grade: A-
8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Also 2 p.m. Nov. 5. Through Nov. 6. $33-$58. Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta. 404-377-9948,atlantalyrictheatre.com.
Bottom line: More resonant than ever.
When “A Chorus Line” arrived on Broadway in 1975, America had never seen anything like it.
Sparely designed yet emotionally complex, the musical used a simple concept — a group of dancers auditioning for a bullying director — to unmask the misogyny, homophobia and ethnic stereotypes lurking at the heart of the culture.
If “A Chorus Line” seemed prescient 41 years ago, today it feels almost prophetic.
While the nation lurches toward an election that has demoralized and degraded us all, Atlanta Lyric Theatre pulls off a heroically timed, gut-punch production of "A Chorus Line" that holds up a mirror to the here and now.
Directed by Ricardo Aponte and choreographed by Nathan Lubeck, the Lyric’s treatment also showcases the excitement and promise of Atlanta theater at this moment. That’s the good news here.
It’s been a while since I checked in at the Lyric, and even from the vantage point of the near-back row of the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Marietta, this young, energetic company blew me away. And thanks to musical director Paul Tate and his top-notch orchestra, Marvin Hamlisch’s brassy, hypnotic, disco-era score sounds lushly mesmerizing. (Lyrics, by the way, are by Edward Kleban; book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante.)
Given the size of this cast — seven dancers are eliminated early on, leaving 17 in the line — it’s hard to enumerate all the fine work of this 24-member ensemble. But there are some clear standouts, including Alvaro Francisco as the poignant Paul San Marco, Lubeck as the cocky weirdo Bobby Mills, Allison McDowell as the sultry Sheila Bryant and Chani Maisonet as the Latina bombshell Diana Morales. (Of course, J. Koby Parker’s rough-and-tumble Mike Costa, Amanda Bonilla’s pint-size Connie McKenzie, and D.J. Grooms’ swishy Gregory Gardner aren’t bad either.)
As to my point that “A Chorus Line” was ahead of its time, consider its structure. Before there was reality TV, there was the hectoring director Zach, who announces that only four “girls” and four “boys” will survive his grueling, soul-baring workout.
As Zach, Logan Denninghoff gives a nicely crafted performance. Unlike some Zachs I’ve seen, Denninghoff comes across as a real and sometimes genuinely conflicted man, particularly when his messy personal life spills out into the drama. Zach’s former girlfriend, Cassie (Ashley Chasteen), happens to be in the lineup, you see, and she’s desperate for work. Though Chasteen doesn’t quite convey the raw, gnawing panic sometimes associated with Cassie, she’s pretty good.
Among the other memorable aspects of this “Chorus Line,” Parker nails Mike’s tap-dancing “I Can Do That.” McDowell, Cassandra Hlong (Maggie Winslow) and Brittany Ellis (Bebe Benzenheimer) give a lovely reading of “At the Ballet.” And Maisonet leads the company in the soaring, 11th-hour anthem, “What I Did for Love.”
In the end, as much as I admire this show, it wouldn’t be entirely truthful to say that every second counts. There are a few unfocused scattered moments here and there. Some of the monologues can feel a little long, some cast members a little green.
But to “Chorus Line” lovers old and new, this Lyric production has something powerful and important to say — about vulnerability and courage, regret and resilience, love and loss.
In the messy dance of life, not everyone will make the cut. (In fact, the material makes a very strong case that the bit about “one singular sensation” is a big old glossy lie.) But we can all kick out our gams, put on our biggest smile and give it that old show-business try. There aren’t really too many other options, are there?
