Collaboration between 2 local theater groups brings popular musical to the stage

At a time when the Bronx was burning, and many Broadway theatres were shuttered, A Chorus Line revitalized the American Musical with a ground-breaking focus on an ensemble of individual characters inspired by the real lives of Broadway dancers. All-night rap sessions produced a series of tapes containing intimate details of the dancers’ drives, ambitions, dreams, and the daily challenges of existence in the theatre. Through a lengthy workshop process (unheard of at that time), these were woven into a piece that is both conceptually and structurally groundbreaking. Never before had American audiences heard a work that so seamlessly navigates show-stopping numbers, dialogue, montage, ensembles, and monologues. For those in the early audiences, it was nothing short of revolutionary.

A Chorus Line opened at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway July 25, 1975.  An unprecedented box office and critically acclaimed hit, the musical won 9 Tony Awards, in addition to the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances over 15 years, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history.