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Scene

Friday, Jul. 03, 2009

A Chorus Line

Characters come from interviews with real dancers

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Perhaps one reason "A Chorus Line" has been such a huge international success is that it's based on real life.

The Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning 1975 musical was created from interviews with real chorus dancers.

"It comes from such an honest, true place," said Mick Bleyer, who stars as the director, Zach, in Modesto Performing Arts' upcoming production at Modesto High School.

Conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett, the show follows an audition for a chorus line in a Broadway show. Seventeen finalists compete for just eight spots, sharing their personal stories along the way.

Some talk about bad acting classes and early experiences with the stage, while others frankly talk about dysfunctional parents, romances and their sexuality.

You don't have to be a performer to relate to the characters, said director Paul Tischer.

"The feelings and emotions are universal," he said.

The show also has a memorable score by Marvin Hamlisch, featuring such hits as "What I Did For Love," "Dance: Ten, Looks: Three" and "The Music and the Mirror."

This is the third time Modesto Performing Arts has staged the show, with the most recent production in 1992.

Tischer selected it because it's simple and he thought it would work well in the Gallo Center for the Arts' Foster Theater, where it was originally scheduled. Although that venue fell through because of various complications, including a lack of sufficient lights, Tischer stuck with the show because it is so compelling.

He is excited that he was able to hire two professional New York actors affiliated with the Actors Equity Association to play the leads -- Bleyer and Anna Ty Bergman, who plays Cassie.

Bleyer has been in the show five times before in different theaters around the country. He has worked with actors from the original Broadway production and the revival and is featured for a few seconds in the "Chorus Line" documentary "Every Little Step," which opens today at Modesto's State Theatre.

Bleyer said he is excited about playing Zach because he's never had the role before. As the director, Zach watches the action and questions the performers.

"He's the voice of God from the back of the house," he said. "I like to be the one in charge."

Bleyer said he is impressed and inspired by the enthusiasm of his fellow cast members and loves his co-star Bergman. The two are friends in New York and were surprised to learn that they were going to be acting together in Modesto -- neither knew that the other had auditioned for the show.

Bergman, who is originally from San Francisco, said she was excited to get the Modesto job because she'll be close to her Bay Area family and friends. As Cassie, she plays the director's ex-girlfriend, who broke up with him to go to Hollywood and then returned when her screen career didn't work out. She has a big solo dance number and some heated words with Zach.

"It's a marathon of emotion and belting and dancing," Bergman said.

She has never been in "A Chorus Line" before and said she loves it because it's about passion and following dreams and has a lot of comedy.

"It is one of the most important pieces of musical theater," she said.

Tischer said the show gives audiences a true picture of how demanding it is to be a stage performer and the sacrifices artists must make. "It's the ultimate backstage story."