BWW Columbus Review of Chorus Line
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Photo: Jeri Shafer undefined by Paul BattersonApril 8 http://www.broadwayworld.com/columbus/article/BWWReviewsA CHORUSLINEShinesSpotlightonThoseUsedtoBeingintheBackground20150408 A CHORUS LINE is one of those shows that should be a prerequisite for anyone considering a career in the performing arts. The Short North Stage's show, which opens April 10 at the Garden Theater (1187 North High Street in downtown Columbus), not only shows the hardships 22 dancers go through to land just in the chorus line of a Broadway, it also introduces the audience to just about every type of actor/singer/dancer every hopeful is bound to meet. It deals with the issues they struggle with: body image, demanding directors and the pain of rejection when they're dismissed with a simple "Thank you. Next." In a short period of time, Short North Stage has become associated with elaborate staging, spot on singing and engaging performances. While A CHORUS LINE's pretty meager (five mirrors and a few dance bars), the theatre group continues deliver engrossing performances. Nick Lingnofski is perfectly cast as Zach, a draconian director in a cardigan sweater. As he and his assistant choreographer Larry (Cornelius Hubbard) pare down the 17 hopefuls to a cast of four males and four females, Zach makes it clear what he's looking for: "You must blend. I don't want anyone to pull my eye." If Zach were truly casting this show, he might have a big problem on his hands. Nearly every person in the 24member cast is hard to stop watching. Among the female dancers vying for the audience's attention are Dionysia Williams (who plays Cassie) and Kaitlin Descutner (Sheila). Williams' character tries to return to being a chorus girl after a failed stint in Hollywood. She realizes she will never be the major star Zach (her exboyfriend) believes she could be. On the other hand, Descutner's Sheila is convinced she's going to be the next big thing. When asked to move from the front row of the dancers on one number, she stands motionlessly. Zach asks her if she doesn't know the choreography, Sheila responds "I did ... for the first row."
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Review of Short North Stage's A Chorus Line
Transcript of BWW Columbus Review of Chorus Line
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Photo:JeriShafer
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byPaulBattersonApril8http://www.broadwayworld.com/columbus/article/BWWReviewsACHORUSLINEShinesSpotlightonThoseUsedtoBeingintheBackground20150408
ACHORUSLINEisoneofthoseshowsthatshouldbeaprerequisiteforanyoneconsideringacareerintheperformingarts.
TheShortNorthStage'sshow,whichopensApril10attheGardenTheater(1187NorthHighStreetindowntownColumbus),notonlyshowsthehardships22dancersgothroughtolandjustinthechoruslineofaBroadway,italsointroducestheaudiencetojustabouteverytypeofactor/singer/dancereveryhopefulisboundtomeet.Itdealswiththeissuestheystrugglewith:bodyimage,demandingdirectorsandthepainofrejectionwhenthey'redismissedwithasimple"Thankyou.Next."
Inashortperiodoftime,ShortNorthStagehasbecomeassociatedwithelaborate
staging,spotonsingingandengagingperformances.WhileACHORUSLINE'sprettymeager(fivemirrorsandafewdancebars),thetheatregroupcontinuesdeliverengrossingperformances.
NickLingnofskiisperfectlycastasZach,adraconiandirectorinacardigansweater.AsheandhisassistantchoreographerLarry(CorneliusHubbard)paredownthe17hopefulstoacastoffourmalesandfourfemales,Zachmakesitclearwhathe'slookingfor:"Youmustblend.Idon'twantanyonetopullmyeye."
IfZachweretrulycastingthisshow,hemighthaveabigproblemonhishands.Nearlyeverypersoninthe24membercastishardtostopwatching.
Amongthefemaledancersvyingfortheaudience'sattentionareDionysiaWilliams(whoplaysCassie)andKaitlinDescutner(Sheila).Williams'charactertriestoreturntobeingachorusgirlafterafailedstintinHollywood.SherealizesshewillneverbethemajorstarZach(herexboyfriend)believesshecouldbe.
Ontheotherhand,Descutner'sSheilaisconvincedshe'sgoingtobethenextbigthing.Whenaskedtomovefromthefrontrowofthedancersononenumber,shestandsmotionlessly.Zachasksherifshedoesn'tknowthechoreography,Sheilaresponds"Idid...forthefirstrow."
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HoweverWilliamsandDescutnerareonlypartofatalentedgroupofactresses.SamanthaGershman(Diana)lightsupthestagewithherballad,"Nothing"andtakesonleadvocalsfor"WhatIDidForLove."ChrissyStridsberg(Bebe),BrookeWalter(Maggie),AyanaFreeman(Connie)andLaurenSchorr(Judy)arejustpartofthetalentedensemble.
Foralargepartoftheplay,Lingnofskiisjustaninterrogatoroffstage,encouragingthehopefulstotellhimsomethingrealaboutthemselves.Thatthruststhespotlightontheeightmalecontenders.JeffFouchshinesasMikeinhisdancenumber,"ICanDoThat"andLukeStewartischarminginhisportrayalofBobby,whosecomedicpersonaisacoverforadarkerpast.
ButthestarofthenightmightgotoLukaAshleyCarterwhoexcelsasPaul,theintroverteddancerwhostruggledwithtellinghisfamilyhe'sgay.Paulisoneofthoserolescanmakeashowsucceedorcapsizeit.Carter'smovingportrayalwillstickwithaudienceslongaftertheshowends.
Intheend,thosewhohaveneverseentheshowbeforeareleftguessingwhoofthisverytalentedwillbetheoneswhomakethecut.ThosewhohaveseentheshowtimeandtimeagainwillbepleaseddirectorEdwardCarignandidn'ttrytoalterorupdateACHORUSLINE.Hesimplylethisactorsshinethroughit.
ACHORUSLINEwillbeperformed8p.m.April911,1618and2325and3p.m.April12,April19,andApril26attheShortNorthTheatre'sGardenTheatre(1187NorthHighStreetindowntownColumbus).Formoreinformation,call614.725.4042.
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