A Chorus Line: Teen Edition
Fauquier Community Theatre
Photo credit: Mindy Ratcliff - The Little Photo Shop
Picture this:
You’re at the audition of a lifetime, and find yourself face-to-face with 15 walking carbon copies of you… except their kicks are higher, their pirouettes are cleaner, and their hair is picture-perfect.
God, I really need this job.
Welcome to the cutthroat reality of show business! Such is the backdrop of A Chorus Line at Fauquier Community Theatre, their annual summer production for teens. In a world teeming with superficiality, this hardworking cast peeled back the stage makeup to reveal that each and every auditionee has a story to tell.
Got it? Good. Let’s run the combo from the beginning.
A five, six, seven, eight!
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line first premiered on Broadway in 1975, and revolutionized the industry by addressing the lives behind the “chorus line.” Conceived, directed, AND choreographed by Michael Bennett (come on triple threat!), the production won nine Tony awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ten years later, it was adapted into a movie, and is now considered one of the most iconic shows of all time.
Clearly, the people love it--and it makes sense why. A Chorus Line is a show that resonates with industry professionals, but it also tugs at the heartstrings of ordinary audience members. It’s a show about show business… and there’s no business like show business.
The story opens at a dance call, led by a ruthless choreographer. You know the type: barking commands, pacing the floor, slashing off the names of auditionees on a clipboard. After an initial cut of dancers, only 17 auditionees remain to fight for eight spots.
Before long, the dancers are auditioning with their life stories. Who wants it the most? Who needs it the most? Who’s the most dedicated?
It’s a plot similar to Cats, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, or Ride the Cyclone, except with a whole lot more dancing. And, in a similar fashion to the latter two shows, it’s performed in one act with no intermission.
Now, let’s do the combo facing away from the mirror.
And by facing away from the mirror, I mean turning this review around to highlight the hardworking cast!
This Production
JD Bernhardt commanded the room as cutthroat choreographer Zach. Often strolling the aisles, clipboard in hand, he invited the audience to sit behind the director’s table and observe the auditionees from an outside perspective. Bernhardt mastered the art of an unreadable poker-face, no matter the occurrence--that is, until he was approached by a striking figure of his past. With a personality as fiery as her character’s iconic red leotard, Kaydin Andruzzi embodied the limitless determination of Cassie. Her confrontation with Zach was incredibly captivating; each argument was carefully crafted to win him over, and escalated to a powerful rendition of “Music and the Mirror.”
From Devon Kirk’s eager, quirky Judy to Zaniyah Brock’s sassy, confident Val, it was clear each performer had crafted a distinct, unique character to showcase along the chorus line. In the trio “At the Ballet,” Amaya Gordon, Arabella Ulrich, and Allison Budnik illustrated Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie’s individual stories in soaring three-part harmony (thanks to music director Nick Villacorte). While all three dancers grew up with a love for dancing, they each came to that realization from different circumstances: a distinction that was reflected through each character’s attitude and emotion.
By their iconic performance of “One,” where each actor danced in all black and donned sparkly golden top hats, it was clear that this unit was only identical in appearance. Each performer had established their own personal struggles, childhoods, and careers. Although they danced in synchrony, each performer had their own identity outside of the chorus line.
These identities were further strengthened by Camden Gillespie’s costumes, which took direct inspiration from the musical’s movie adaptation. Each character wore brightly-colored athletic wear that highlighted their character, while also allowing ample movement throughout the course of the show. The stage itself was almost entirely bare, save for two flats covered in reflective paper to act as the floor-length mirror of a dance studio--these dancers could’ve been in any NYC audition room.
Who is it for?
A Chorus Line is a love letter to dance, Broadway, and the art of performance itself. It’s a love letter to the individuals who do this for a living, and to those who have ever felt lost among the chorus line. Each and every individual has a story worth telling.
Considering Fauquier Community Theatre put on the school edition of A Chorus Line, which omitted some of its raunchier language, I’d recommend it for ages 10 and older. There’s still some innuendo when it comes to puberty and human anatomy, but it’s nothing a 10-year-old would be a stranger to.
While A Chorus Line has since closed, FCT’s production of Anastasia: The Musical is slated to open in September. Visit fctstage.org for more information.