Photo:JeriShafer

undefined

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."

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.

2015CopyrightWisdomDigitalMedia.AllRightsreserved.