A Chorus Line Cast Meets the Press

Full casting has been announced for the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, which will begin performances at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on September 18 and is slated to open on October 5. The revival, to be directed by Bob Avian, co-choreographer of the original 1975 production, will first play San Francisco’s Curran Theatre from July 23 through September 2.

The company met the press at a meet-and-greet event held this morning at the Hudson Theatre. Heading the cast are Ken Alan (Bobby), Brad Anderson (Don), Michael Berresse (Zach), Natalie Cortez (Diana), Charlotte d’Amboise (Cassie), Mara Davi (Maggie), Jessica Lee Goldyn (Val), Deidre Goodwin (Sheila), Tyler Hanes (Larry), James T. Lane (Richie), Paul McGill (Mark), Heather Parcells (Judy), Michael Paternostro (Greg), Alisan Porter (Bebe), Jeffrey Schecter (Mike), Yuka Takara (Connie), Jason Tam (Paul), Chryssie Whitehead (Kristine), and Tony Yazbeck (Al).

A Chorus Line was originally conceived, directed, and choreographed by the late Michael Bennett. Based on the life stories of a number of Broadway dancers, the show has a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch (who will provide new orchestrations for the revival), and lyrics by Edward Kleban. It won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original production closed on April 28, 1990, having played 6,137 performances.

Baayork Lee, a member of the show’s original cast, will recreate the original choreography of Bennett and Avian. The new production features sets by Robin Wagner and costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge (both of whom designed the original production), lighting by Natasha Katz and Tharon Musser, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners. Musical direction and supervision is by Patrick Vaccariello, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, Billy Byers, and Hershey Kay, and vocal arrangements by Don Pippin.

“I love the idea of a whole new audience seeing this important show,” said Hamlisch at this morning’s event. Both he and producer John Breglio, the executor of Bennett’s estate, stressed that they would not have agreed to the project if Avian had not agreed to direct it. “No one knows this show better than Bob,” Hamlisch remarked.

Avian said that casting for the show took almost a year and that the creative team auditioned approximately 1,700 actors during the process. “It was hard for us to decide but it was also a lot of fun,” he noted, praising the quality of talent he saw during the process.

While some of the cast members will be making their Broadway debuts, the show reunites D’Amboise and Goodwin, who co-starred in Chicago. “I am so happy to be able to stand next to Charlotte on the line,” said Goodwin. In addition, Berresse and Anderson both starred in the revival of Kiss Me, Kate.