bww columbus review of chorus line
Post on 07-Nov-2015
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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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