WABASH - If you missed the performance of "A Chorus Line" at the Honeywell Center in Wabash Tuesday night, you probably missed one of the best productions of it you're likely to see.
From the acting to the singing and the actors cast in the show, it was a top-notch performance. Of course, as a touring production, it should be the top quality that it is.
"A Chorus Line" is set in a Broadway theater in 1975. The show centers around a director, Zach (Ryan Steer), who is looking for four women and four men to be in his next show. To find the perfect eight, he not only has them dance for him, but he decides to interview them. He wants them to tell him about themselves, why they are dancers, etc.
The show really is a dancer's musical.
Zach is off the stage for most of the musical, except at the beginning and toward the end. But the way Steer plays him, and his authoritative presence, audiences got to feel him there throughout the show. Steer may be playing a director, but he fits the role perfectly.
Initially, there are more than 17 dancers trying out for the show. After the first round of try outs, several of them are cut down to the final 17. This is where audiences get to find out who these dancers are on stage.
One of the highlight performances is Rylyn Juliano's performance as Cassie. Cassie is the ex-girlfriend of Zach. Zach thought she was going to be a star so he doesn't know why she wants to be a part of the chorus. He thinks the chorus is beneath her. But all Cassie wants is a job - she wants to work.
Juliano puts a lot of energy into her performance. When she performs solo to the number "The Music and the Mirror", audiences at the Honeywell Center could really feel her determination.
And when Juliano and Steer interacted together on stage, there was some major chemistry burning there. They felt like old lovers.
Cassie isn't the only dancer with a back story, of course. All of them have it, and the actors chosen to present the characters really fit well into their roles.
One of my favorite character back stories is that of Paul (Gaspare Diblasi). Paul knew he was different from everyone else growing up. He had a secret that for many years he kept to himself.
For awhile, Paul was able to keep his secret from his parents. Certainly, they had to know, but it was never brought up.
Finally, accidentally, Paul's parents find out what kind of performance Paul gives at a club. Instead of berating him, however, his parents told him to take care of himself, and his father finally called him "son".
Diblasi just brings so much emotional weight to his performance that it's hard not to feel for the character of Paul.
Some of the other characters include Don, a married father of two who needs the work to support his family; Larry, the assistant director who knows every step of the show; and Maggie, a dancer who is not afraid to talk about the work she's had done on her body.
Many issues are addressed, including growing old in the dancing profession. Sheila (Suzanna Dupress) is turning 30 years old, and she's a tiger on the prowl. Her friskiness and diva attitude actually turns Zach off and probably costs her a role. She's thinking of opening a dance studio, and probably should at this point in her life.
Al (Paul Flanagan) is married to Kristine (Ashley Klinger). Kristine can dance, but she can't sing a note. With Al, they sing the funny number "Sing!" where Al finishes every sentence for Kristine to the point where audiences can sense the irritation in her voice. Al treats Kristine like a child, and only auditioned for the show because of her, but it all probably costs both of them being in the show.
There are several well-known songs in this show that will stick in your head. From the opening number "I Hope I Get It" to "I Can Do That" and "One", the numbers as performed by this company had me humming them the rest of the night. No high notes were missed, no beats left unbeaten.While "A Chorus Line" at the Honeywell Center Tuesday night was a one-night only event, it's a production of the modern classic that will stick with me for the future.
Every actor was spot on. The comedy moments were hilarious, and the dramatic moments were powerful.
