A sensational CHORUS LINE at Ivoryton Playhouse in CT

By Don Church and Tony Schillaci, Critics On The Aisle, (Photo by Jonathan Steele) The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning singular sensation, A CHORUS LINE, is now thrilling audiences at the landmark Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton CT.

With music by legendary composer Marvin Hamlisch, A CHORUS LINE opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway July 25, 1975, conceived, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett. The book is by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, and Edward Kleban wrote the telling lyrics. The musical received 12 Tony Award nominations and won nine, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history until surpassed by Cats in 1997, and the longest-running Broadway musical originally produced in the U.S., until surpassed in 2011 by Chicago.

It's the story of the struggles and triumphs of a group of dancers auditioning for a spot in an unnamed new Broadway musical. For the 17 hopeful dancers, this audition is the chance of a lifetime for a spot onstage. The show is not only a depiction of a fictitious group of 'gypsies' (aka dancers who move from show to show) but it mimics the real story of the lives of the working cast onstage at the Ivoryton Playhouse. It shows the heartbreak and disappointment engrained in show biz, along with those small doses of glitz and glamor, joy and elation that being chosen to perform in a show can bring. The score, featuring familiar tunes, exquisite solos and buoyant choral songs, is played wonderfully by eight gifted musicians under the baton of keyboardist and conductor Michael Morris. Michael and his professionals produce the sweetest sounds that highlight but don't overwhelm the vocals of the exuberant cast. As the backstage story unfolds, every character emphatically pleads to the gods of the theater - "I Hope I Get It."

Edward Stanley* plays Zach, the director/choreographer tasked with choosing only 8 performers out of the 17 hopefuls. He asks each actor to tell him a personal story about what got them to this stage of their budding careers. Mike ( played by engaging Dakota Hoar) tells Zach that as a small boy he accompanied his sister to dance class and realized "I Can Do That!" Mike breaks out into a lively dance to show off his talents.

Sheila, Bebe and Maggie (Lili Thomas*, Kayla Starr Bryan and Liv Kurtz) beautifully blend their voices in the poignant song describing a place where, as children, they felt safe from unhappiness at home -"At The Ballet." Charismatic actor Sam Given* plays Bobby who gives Zach a blasé, fey and uproariously delivered monologue about his escape from his dreaded home town of Buffalo.

Gifted singer/dancer/actor Natalie Madlon plays Diana Morales who tells her story about how badly she was treated by her acting teacher in the lyrical "Nothing." To paraphrase the lyric, Ms. Madlon "reaches right down to the bottom of her soul" as she fully understands every nuance of the words and music. In the second act she once again sends chills up the spine by getting to the core of the song as she leads the chorus in one of the show's memorable anthems: "What I Did For Love." In the first act finale, Ronnie S. Bowman, Jr. as Richie, bounces across the stage with an energy and explosive excitement that combines his exceptional talent a dancer with the technical and creative guidance of director/choreographer Todd Underwood.