Bobby

Bobby is based on the life of Thommie Walsh, who played himon Broadway. Smaller lines were inspired by Michael Bennett and others.

Bobby is a flamboyant, funny, clever, and witty guy whosurvived an upperclass, but hard childhood. Details of this are included in his monologue, although it is somewhat fictionalized. For example, the part about being near Buffalo is from Michael Bennett's childhood. Thommie Walsh was also a stand-up comic, so that is the basis and background for his monologue's structure.

Bobby, although only 25, has been in New York for several years. He's good friends with Sheila and they are ideal foils for each other. A lot of their lines are said to each other. Part of the way they deal with the stress of the audition is by making comments and jokes to each other. One of the original cast members said of Thommie "I love this guy, but he could be a viper. He could very easily cut people down." It is interesting to compare Bobby's relationship with Sheila, his partner in crime, to Bebe. She is so eager to please that he would probably overtly and subtlely make her feel ve-e-ery tiny. He is also good friends with Mike and Greg, and would have worked with Diana, Judy, Connie, and know Cassie, Paul, and Al.

He has also worked with Zach before, and therefore is kinda a dick to Zach. His entire monologue, in fact, is somewhat insincere. This angers Zach and is the reason Zach curtly tells him to go "back in line." This is not to say that Zach (and the auditioners/audience) don't enjoy his jokes, but he is 'performing.' When Zach asks him 'is he doing a monologue?',Bobby says no, but does just that. The only poignant moment is when he talks about his dad saying he has polio. But in typical Bobby fashion, he than cracks a joke so people will think his childhood didn't hurt. Bobby likes attention, something he didn't get as a child. So the more he hogs the spotlight, the better. I have also seen Bobby's monologue done as focused and intense, and that's also worth exploring.

Bobby is one of the better male dancers, but doesn't need to be as strong a singer. Original Bobby wore a collared shirt, a lightweight brown patterened sweater, 3/4 dance pants with suspenders, and a red scarf. The scarf was to cover Thommie's long neck, but it is just the perfect touch to make an auditioner notice him, as well as making him look flamboyant. He would take the sweater off for the Rehearsal One section of the show.

Although Bobby doesn't talk about it, he is also gay. Therefore he has a bond with Greg, Paul, and whoever else might be gay (Larry? Zach?) Of course, he's been out of the closet forever, but his monologue suggests that he still has issues with his parents about it.

Thommie Walsh has continued his career as a director and choreographer. He dir/chor the Ahrens/Flaherty musical "Luck Stiff" and later choreographed their musical "My Favorite Year." He co-wrote the book "On the Line: the creation of ACL with original Connie-Baayork Lee and a third author.

The key words for Bobby are funny, impeccible timing, impeccible taste and style, and a bitchy attitude. But in the end, he reveals his starry-eyed ideals as well in the Alternatives scene. He really just wants attention and care.

Cassie

There's a lot of material in the play about Cassie, but here are some main points:

Cassie is returning to the line. While she is a strong woman, she is at the borderline, and has had to face a lot of disappointments and swallow a lot of pride to come to an audition for general chorus.

Whereas Paul has a huge monologue in words, Cassie expresses herself through her dance. It's very important through movement and lighting that she communicate, fear, love, rejection, desire, passion, and perserverance through her dance. A tough job!

Cassie was in part based on Donna McKechnie, and also others, including LeLand Palmer (Primarily Zach and Cassie's failed affair).

Cassie wears red as a way to stand out to her former lover, Zach. Also, in the Opening, she does not sing, underlining her difference from the other auditioners. This should be choreographed by the director pointedly.

Hers is the only discordant introduction in the "Names" section. It gives the audience foreshadowing that her story will be completed later. Her full name is Cassie Ferguson, and I believe I read she is supposedly from Minnesota.

She is also 32, which makes her tie with Greg, Connie as oldest. This is useful when Sheila is talking about how old she feels when she's 30.

As an experienced gypsy and semi-star, many of the other auditioners either know her (and vice versa) or she is recognized by them. For example, she is supposed to be old pals with Sheila (which is part of the reason she stands next to her), and she'd probably know Greg, Connie, Mike, Al, Judy, Bobby, and Diana well, as well as others periphially.

Her lines in the montage show she does have a lot in common with the other auditioners, as far as adolesence is concerned.

She also has no lines in the "Alternatives" scene; she's already gone to "what if she can't dance any more" and come back with her solution: start again.

The second Cassie/Zach scene is as much about Zach as it is about Cassie. This gives the audience a chance to know Zach. Further characterization is explored in the Paul accident scene when we see how well she holds together when Zach starts to lose it

Originally in the show, Cassie was not going to make the final cut. The actress Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl) campaigned to have Cassie make it so that "Someone could always go home again."

Another interesting story is that in an early version of the play, Cassie came in with a "star" entrance, late, in a lam`e jumpsuit and asking for change for a taxi. This made her totally unsympathetic, so that's why she has had to face her own failure before she came to the audition. (Ironically, this opening was somewhat recreated in the movie)

Finally, Cassie is somewhat shy and definately a tender hearted person. The character of Maggie is also based on Donna McKechnie and was later separated. While this cannot be used in an obvious connection between the two characters, you can get a sense of a different part of Cassie by looking at Maggie.

Connie

Connie is based on Baayork Lee, who originated the role.

Baayork was one of the most experienced dancers in the show, and had worked with Michael Bennett several times before (the shows SeeSaw and Promises, Promises for example). She was the dance captain (which means she was one of the best dancers) and she had a lot of trust from Michael.

Personally, she was a little older than the other members --she was 32. She was married as well, and the other people on the line kinda looked up to her to "see how it was done" as far as being an older career dancer. (That's realtively speaking, of course) She was also somewhat of a mother hen, really taking care of the group. Think, for example, how she "saves" Paul in his short monologue scene. This could be expanded into other areas of performance.

Connie's monologue came out of her experiences from her life. She obviously has a great sense of humor and is kinda nutty! If you've had a chance to listen to the Expanded CD, you can hear her accent and her delivery, although you wouldn't want to necessarily copy that. (When Connie is played by a non-asian, she often does a southern accent, which adds a lot, I think)
Another interesting story about Connie is that she considers Richie to be her main competition. At the time the show was written,and even somewhat today, shows didn't generally take more than one ethnic actor. (Apparently Paul and Diana weren't considered a threat) So, the composers wrote a number called "Confidence" for Richie and Connie, identifing the other as their main competition and each was certain that they would get the show. The punch line was that each was really "very, very...insecure!" Unfortunately, this song was cut because it was too traditional of a song and not in line with the style of the show. Hence, the 4'10 and Gimme the Ball sections of the montage were born instead.

In another scene cut from the show, it was revealed that Connie expected to be made Zach's assistant (considering their work experience in the past.) This is interesting when she doesn't make the show, but maybe she'll still be hired.

Other details: She is fourth from right. She wears a sort of jumpsuit with a white long sleeve shirt. The jumpsuit is a plum color. Alternately, she was dressed in a pink leotard. She has worked extensively and knows Cassie, Greg, Sheila, Mike, Judy, Diana, Richie etc. She would also recognize some of the others such as Don, Maggie, Al, and so on. She wouldn't know Mark, Bebe, Kristine.

Baayork Lee helped Michael Bennett extensively while the show was running on Broadway and on tour. She has continued her career as a director and has staged at least 50 productions of ACL around the world, in addition to other shows. She wrote, along with Thommie Walsh (original Bobby) and another man wrote the book "On the Line: the Creation of ACL" which is out of print.

Diana

Diana (sometimes pronounced like Deanna) was based on Priscilla Lopez. Her relationship with Paul is based on that of Nicholas Dante and Michon Peacock, one of the authors of the play and one of the other conceptionists of the play.Some hints:

She was one of the more experienced and trained actors in the show. She knows most of gypsies in the show (Cassie, Sheila, Bobby, Greg, Judy, Connie, etc) So she is more comfortable in the situation than, say, Mark, Bebe, or Paul might be.

As the script indicates, she grew up in the Bronx and is street wise and kind of tough.However, she is also an eternal optimist and a bit starry eyed. A trap with playing Diana is to be *too* tough. She is definately a positive thinker and has moxy. A determined-ness to get what she wants. She is more athletic as a dancer than particularly graceful like Cassie.

Key point: She is a truth sayer. That's how she gets away with her lines in "Nothing" and the alternatives "What I Did for Love" She is speaking from the heart. Although she's not sorry that Mr. Karp died, she's a little shocked at her lack of sympathy and what she learns about herself.

She and Paul are good friends, considering their common ethnic background, both NYC natives, and their field. She has heard Paul's story a million times, and since Paul is somewhat dependant on Diana, she is somewhat protective of him.

Finally, Diana also has a good sense of humor. She feels comfortabe enough to sass Zach during the short Diana name as well as overplay the tapping when Larry says he can't hear her taps.

As for the song Nothing, there is a lot of material within the number to work with, and What I did for Love should be sung more positively rather than wistfully, although that's a good shading as well. The song Nothing actually happened to Lopez, and although Mr. Karp's name was fictional, apparently, graduates of the HS of Performing Arts all knew who she was talking about.

Don

If you're playing Don don't despair! Don is as important as everyone else on the line. He may not be as featured as some of the other performers, but you have to look at the show as "The Don Kerr Show" and create an interior monologue for the entire musical. Let the audience know who you are through your reactions if you don't have a line. Unfortunately, if everyone got a full solo, the show would be five hours long, and that just wouldn't work.

Don Kerr was based on a mixture of Andy Bew, Ron Kuhlman (original Don), and Michael Bennett. Andy was the "type" of person who inspired the character, Ron's personality was
added, and the stripper story is inspired by Michael Bennett's life.

Don is kinda a ladies man, a player, but is married. He's jazzy and cool, but a little egotistical as well. He's a hedonist, really into cars, money, and women. His lines in the Montage help illustrate this. Supposedly, he had an affair with Sheila, although I've only heard this, not actually read this anywhere.

One scene that was cut from the show was a scene between Sheila and Don where he told about how his marriage was falling apart. Keep this in mind when you talk about your family in the Alternatives scene. And although, the movie is not "official" I think there's a lot of interesting characterization for Don regarding his family and day job.

Another thing that was cut for Don was that he originally had a long monologue about the death of his mother. Andy Bew was in the original touring company of "Hello Dolly" and his mom was hired as a chaperone (He was only 16 at the time) Anyway, they were in Chicago, and while they were boating, the boat capsized and his mom drowned in Lake Michigan. So, he was basically on his own, and the theater really became his family. He tried to go back to his hometown after the tour ended, but he had money, bought a car, had seen the country, and his friends were just...small town. So, he moved to New York and never looked back.

Ron Kuhlman was hired to add some singing power to the line and isn't necessarily one of the best dancers. Don is supposed to be "jockish" and have a lot of charm. Play around with a "signature" greeting (like a tcht or wink or something with your hands) that you can use to differentiate yourself. This helps Don stand out as well.

Other facts: Don is the first person stage right. He typically wore jeans, sneakers, and a blue or pink and black striped shirt. He has been in the business for 10 years, and would know a lot of people on the line. Supposedly, he knows Maggie, Mike, Sheila, and others. You might consider that maybe he's making the moves on Maggie, and that's why he doesn't know what to say when he has to introduce himself.

Don's biggest competition is probably Mark, since they have a similar All-American look (at least originally, it would depend on your cast). That could be interesting to play up.

Ron Kuhlman went on to play the husband of Jan Brady on tv, if you've ever seen those specials. Andy Bew had worked with Michael Bennet before, so if you use that for Don, that might be another reason he could be cocky.

Greg

Greg is based on a mixture of Chris Chadman and Michael Stuart, who played him. Greg is an older (32) dancer who's done it all. He's been over sexed, over-drunk, and over-drugged. He's a true hedonist, but really loves his work, because it's just playing to him. But he knows it's going to end one day, especially when he hears Sheila, who's 2 years younger than him, talk about getting 'old.'

He is kind of a grand figure, for two reasons. First, he is really into clothes. Chris Chadman said "I was the only dancer who lived on the East Side. I always dressed up. But really, I read all these magazines, and everyone who was wealthy had nice clothes. I beleived in positive thinking. I thought, 'Well maybe if I dress successful, I'll be successful.'" The funny part about his line in his monologue, is that he thinks he's going to have worse clothes as a gay man, instead of being a clothes horse, like many gay men are.

Second, he's grand because despite his good-time tendancies, he is insecure about his looks. The original Greg was not especially attractive, and part of his grand aire (Darlings! I just take one day at a time...)was to cover up his own insecurity. Regardless, he is still probably very into drugs, disco, and leather and stuff like that.

Two scenes that were cut from the show featured Greg. One had him confronting Al about Al's homophobia. They actually got into a fist fight in the show! This really doesn't define Greg's character, but it shows his realtionship with Al. In a second scene, Zach had momentarily left the auditioners alone. In it, Greg takes a moment to parody Zach, directing questions at the other auditioners. Greg has most likely worked with Zach before, so that may account for why he is so smart-alecky with Zach at his "name"

Greg is friends with the stage right clicque (Connie, Cassie, Sheila, Bobby) and even jokes with Bobby during his monologue. He probably knows Diana and possibly Paul as well.

Background info on Chris Chadman: He was from NYC, and used to go to summer resorts in the Catskills with his classes with all these old people, but there was this one little girl. The dance teacher put them together, choreographed a routine, and voila a dancer was born. Chris danced ten years in competative ballroom.

Later, he went to the HS for Performing Arts, but had a really hard time. He was not very good at ballet, and the school kept him out of performances for several years, encouraging him to drop out. But he refused, saying "I didn't care, all I wanted to do was dance. I was always running into things, covered with bruises, but as long as I was dancing I was happy."

Chris became one of Bob Fosse's main dancers, and he ended up not doing ACL to do Chicago instead (he was also in Pippin) He later had the chance to play Greg, the character based on his own life. He was also friends with the actress on whom Richie was based, so Greg might be friends with Richie, too.

Judy

Judy is based on Patricia "Trish" Garland, and she is a funny, gawky, and nervous/scatterbrained, but ultimately a warm and hopeful woman.

Trish and her sister, Jacki (who was also a Broadway dancer) were both involved with ACL from the beginning tape sessions. Trish was the ballerina, and Jacki the gymnast/tapper. (In the song At the Ballet, the "Steep and narrow stairway" was actually from their childhood) They grew up on a farm in a small town. Their mom was very supportive of them and would consistantly send them out all summer to dance camps. Eventually, when their father died, their mom wouldn't even let them come home for the funeral. Trish said "our mom just wanted us to have more than she had and have a better life." This doesn't entirely gel with Judy's bio in the play, but it could be complementary. You know, mix and match as you choose.

So, both girls were at the workshops, but Jacki did not get cast in the play (Even people who originally were involoved had to audition to play themselves, such as Diana, Bobby, Sheila, Judy, Val, and Cassie). Apparently Jacki and Trish had a huge sibling rivalry. You could use this for characterization in your monologue as well as perhaps your sister got cut earlier in the audition. Also, in the alternatives scene when Judy wants to be "more than just the second redhead on the end," maybe she's trying to create a stronger identity for herself and not just one of the "Garland girls"

Judy is an experienced gypsy, but is not as confident as some of the other gypsies like Sheila, Diana, and Val. So, she expresses this through nervousness and comes off as a flake.ie forgetting her number, 44?, etc. Play these for laughs--she's quite endearing, as you know. Also hilarious is the absolute assumption that every girl practices kissing with their best friend. The total mortification when she learns not everyone does this can only be topped but sheer joy when a few girls *do* admit to the same experience.

Ideally, Judy should be somewhat gawky or unusual physically. Even if you're not, she should have an off-kilter angular sensibility. Shifting weight, possibly hair twilrling, adjusting straps etc. Trish supposedly never felt extremely comfortable in her body, despite the fact that she was a talented and beautiful dancer! How ironic. Also, you might use this as an excuse for overly careful or stylized make up, as she has a delicate self-image.

The Judy in the film is not really like the play Judy. Janet Jones played her more like a sexpot. However, I liked how she played Judy as thinking she was a real laugh-riot. Grabbing herself and laughing at her own jokes. Most Judys I've seen do this to some degree. In fact, the reason that the Judy monologue is so non-sequitar is that Trish Garland was so adept at making lines funny, if it didn't work for person A, they'd say "Give it to Trish, she can make it funny." So, her true story isn't as fully realized, but she has snippets from a lot of different people.

Other facts: She is just left of center, wears a purple square cut leotard and t-strap heels. This helped her look more angular. The purple is perfect for her: you know how people who love purple are often obsessive about it--I think Judy is one of them (my opinion.) Trish Garland was also a Buddihst, so if you use that for Judy, could use that for a funny bit here and there. In fact when she makes it at the end, original Judy reached up to the sky as if she was thanking a higher deity.

Finally, like many of the others, she dreams of being a big star. However, she knows she's not the physical ideal like Val. The alternative scene helps her deal with that, see where you can find wistfulness: maybe she comes to some sort of realization in this scene

Al and Kristine

Al and Kristine are based on the lives of Steve and Denise Boockvor as well as the actors who first portrayed them, Don Percassi and Renee Baughman.

Al
Steve Boockvor was the son of immigrants. His dad worked in a factory, and because his family was poor, Steve did not have the opportunity for the arts.

Later, someone in his neighborhood got accepted to the High School of Performing Arts. This kid and Steve got into a fight, and the kid dared Steve to audition for the HSPA. He took the challenge and made it. However, he was hesitant to go there, he only wanted to prove that he could do it. Eventually he decided to go, and was glad he did. He realized if he hadn't taken that challenge, he would be a dock worker or mechanic. He was always extremely grateful that he had the chance to be exposed to a cultured and beautiful career.

In earlier versions of the show, Al was kinda a violent guy. He related a story of how a homosexual dancer came on to him, and it's clear that Al is uncomfortable with the many gay men around him. In fact, Greg added that Al got mad once when Greg playfully swatted him on the butt. Al then jumped on Greg and started pounding on him. With the casting of Don Percassi, they lessened this side of the character, because Don was a much easier going guy with a strong sense of humour, as well as smaller in stature. It was ridiculous for this little guy to be jumping on other people!

Al has worked with Zach before, and again in an earlier script, Zach and Al talk about this. Al is somewhat belligerent, and Zach dismisses him halfway through the audition. Al begs him to let him stay for Kristine's sake to support her, but it's revealed that it's actually so he doesn't lose face with Kristine. Keep in mind that these harsher elements were lessened in the final version, but you can see how Al could be kinda a street tough who was transformed by the arts. Also note Al's obsession with sex--he has a lot of great solos in the montage.

Key points for Al are humor, machoismo, agressiveness, but also tenderness and protection of his wife. They have been married only shortly, so a strong physical connection is suggested, not only in your pose, but also during the Opening and other less structured sections of the show (Tap Combo, Alternatives)

Kristine
Denise came from the midwest and was very wide-eyed when she came to New York as a teen. The first place she stayed in was a strip joint. She was so mortified (she didn't know that she'd have to be a stripper), she cried her way out of it. Later she stayed at that apartment building for unmarried aspiring actresses, made famous in the movie "Stage Door" with Katherine Hepburn. (I forget the name of it) When she wrote to apply to stay there, she was so cute, she wrote "I'm a real nice girl, I don't even have a traffic ticket!" When she was on her own, her mom came to visit. Her mom said "If I had known this was what New York was like, I would have never let you go!"

Eventually, Denise started getting work, but she still didn't know many people. She was in a show with Steve, and he kept asking her out. She kept saying No, but then realized, "I;m lonely, but if I never go out with anyone, how can I get married?" SO she went out with Steve, and he took her to see the infamous all-nude musical, "Oh, Calcutta!" Steve said:"I was looking to get laid!"

The fact that Steve and Denise finished each other's sentances was something that Michael Bennett picked up on. This was combined with Renee Baughman's inadequate singing ability. Renee was a very sexy and confident dancer, but she was so nervous, she chanted and chanted to get the show (she was a Buddhist, which might be interesting to use for Kristine). The authors thought she was perfect, however, and planned a song about her inablility to sing from the very beginning. (In fact, it was the first song written)

The main thing about Kristine is that she is basically a happy, well-adjusted, and sexy girl, she just can't sing. Al is very protective, and I think Kristine is a little meeker (Considering her background) so they have a very complementary relationship and work well together.

Other facts: Al is 30, so he's been around for awhile, and knows Sheila, Diana, Connie, Bobby, etc. Kristine has been in New York for 3-4 years, so she's done some work, but is not as experienced. Since Judy is from St. Louis, you might have a connection with her from the past. One funny thing I saw was Judy trying to "teach" Kristine to sing in the reentrance after Paul's monologue. Also, usually when Al gives Kristine his gum in the Opening, she reluctantly starts puts it in her own mouth. It's always a huge laugh if the audience can see it.

Kristine wears a wrap around brown leotard, which I don't know it they're available anymore (It's very 70's) As long as you found something sexy that emphasized dancing and demphasized singing that would be good. Al wears a sleeveless green TCKS tee shirt (which is also not available anymore) and dark dance pants. He also wore a red and yellow jacket at times and a little black cap (That was to cover Don Percassi's bush like hair!) Al is more athletic, so he can get away with more athletic clothes if necessary. But he has been a professional dancer for 14 years, so he's comfortable in dance clothes. They are fifth and sixth from stage left.

Larry/Laura

Unfortunately, there's not that much info on Larry/Laura, but I'll share what I know.

This is basically a "Dinner is served" part. The original actor was about the only one involved who didn't want his part expanded. The character is based, in part, on Bob Avian, Michael Bennett's co-choreographer or Asst Choreographer.

The two men had differing styles of expertise as well as complementary personalities. For example, Michael might do something that would upset everyone. After everyone scattered, Bob would reconcile the parties involved. Michael was a strong leader, whereas Bob was not really interested in leading, but really enjoyed assisting. In terms of dance style, Michael was more of a jazzy, low dancer, whereas Bob was more into ballet as well as popular styles. In addition, Michael had more of an "editor's" eye, looking at the patterns and overall scheme. Michael trusted Bob's input, however, and he would choreograph something, ask Bob what he thought, and then work from there. Of course, none of this is really "act"able, but it does give you some background on their relationship.

As for how Larry is usually played, he is usually pretty no-nonsense and authoritative. Assistants to directors such as Zach tend to bring a personal touch to the proceedings, but run the rehearsal in the style of their leader so that the leader can watch what he would normally be doing himself. In this case, the part with the most acting involved is the Tap Combination. I would just try to communicate a sense of purpose, even though you don't have a lot of lines.

Larry does know quite a few of the performers. He is good friends with Connie, as she has often assisted Zach before. He would also know Cassie, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, Don, Mike, and Judy. He might know Richie, Val. With the exceptions of Connie and Cassie (whom he'd like),it's up to you to decide who you like. He might reach out to a newcomer where he might not to someone he thinks has too much attitude, like Sheila or Bobby or Greg. This can be used in the Tap scene as well. For example, he might be teasing Connie while he's berating Sheila. However, all these people are pretty likeable, and Larry is an easy-going guy.

Just to give you some personal background on Larry, the original actor to portray the role, Clive Clerk, had been a Broadway dancer early in his career. He left for California and had a successful career in film. Eventually he became bored, however, and he decided to leave the industry. In fact, he was pursuing his degree in art when he returned to New York. Bob Avian was an old friend who had a wonderful time, and eventually returned to finish his art degree with great memories of the show. So, between the stories of Bob Avian, Clive Clerk, and Tony Stevens, pick and choose a background story.

Originally, Larry wore a black tank top (with a 17 on it) and dance pants. He is supposed to be very sleek. Just try to find small moments to express personality through reactions. Also, have lots of fun in the Montage. That is where he bonds with the auditioners in their similar trials of adolesence.

Maggie

Maggie is the sweetheart of the group. She's everyone's little sister, prom queen, cheerleader, and ballerina all rolled into one. A real dreamer, she's kinda like the Cameron Diaz character in "My Best Friend's Wedding."

The role of Maggie is based on the lives of Donna McKechnie(original Cassie) and Kay Cole, the original actress who played Maggie. The indian chief story was told by McKechnie.

This is the "singing" role of the show, as Maggie, while not having a lot of dialogue, has the most singing solos next to Diana. Kay Cole was selected partially because of her high, clear voice. The third "at the ballet" was called the "Money note" becasue it always brought down the house.

As you may know, she is the third girl in "At the Ballet," so she shares a common background with Bebe and Sheila as far as a broken home and the escape to dance class. When Maggie lifted her arms to dance with the Indian cheif, her mother thought she was trying to do the high fifth ballet arm position, so her mom sent her to dance class.

Maggie has a lot of funny lines in the Montage and the Tap Combination. They help deliniate her character since she doesn't have a lot of spoken lines.

Maggie is one of the somewhat experienced performers, roughly on the level of Don, Mike, Kristine, Richie, and Paul. She would know some of these performers as well as some of the more seasoned performers like Sheila, Greg, Connie, etc. Others she might know only periphially.

Notice her attitude in the "accident/alternatives" scene. She is highly concerned and cautious (Should we get a dance bag? We don't know if we should give him that?) and then later dreamy and optimistic (I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I still give myself a time limit!) These
show her deeply caring and hopeful ideals. She is only slightly more seasoned than Bebe, Kristine, Mark, and Paul, even though she has been working professionally for several years.

She usually wears a leotard with a pink or rose v-neck t-shirt. She is supposed to be very feminine. The outfit pictured on the familiar logo was judged as being "too tomboyish."

Pam Klinger,who played Maggie in the movie, had been playing her on Broadway when she got the part. Original Maggie Kay Cole envisioned Olivia Newton-John playing the role, if that gives you another idea.

Mark

The character of Mark is based on Cameron (Rick) Mason, but the gonnerhea story came from Michael Bennett's life.

Mark is the optimistic, first-timer who 'just wants to get in the chorus in the first place!' He represents the new brand of hopefuls who is always flooding into NYC to become a big star. Although he is relatively new to the business, he is very talented. His niavety and charm affects even the most hardened of the auditioners in the show.

Mark is a great comical role, and he's usually a white-bread, all-american type kid. He is also one of the best dancers in the line, which is one of the reasons he gets the show.

Rick Mason (original Mark) didn't start dancing until late, when his interest in theater was picqued by participation in local community theater. He went to college, and while there, he auditioned for the nightclub act for Sylvie Vartan, a sort of French Ann-Margaret. He returned home after a few monthes and stopped in NYC on the way. He loved the atmosphere, the energy. He said "This was what I had been waiting for all my life. I knew I belonged right away." So, he returned home, sold all his belongings, and moved to New York.

Rick auditioned for the workshops, but was not involved the original taping sessions. He did not know Michael, or any of the other dancers. Michael went up to him after his audition and simply said "He'll do." This shows the attitude Bennett had with Rick during the entire show. I get the impression that Rick/Mark is a very sweet, sensitive guy who really needs feedback. But because he was perfect as the cute babyfaced newcomer, Michael ignored him and didn't give him any feedback. Unfortunately, Rick eventually came to really resent Michael as well as the other performers. He said, "It was very hard. I know I'm as talented as the others. It's only my first exposure, so I know I shouldn't be greedy. But all these other performers had these huge egos. There I was, being a good little boy, and my role was shitty compared to the others. If it takes a mean, backstabbing personality to be in this business, then I that is just not me. I wanted so much to say to Michael 'how am I doing? Is this what you want? See what else I can do..'But the part did not grow, although Rick brought an innocent charm as well as big laughs from his several one-liners. This last section is really more like "Mark's disillusionment" and it shouldn't be used for Mark, as he is the innocent character. It does give you some of his attitudes, though, and I thought his thoughts were interesting and touching to share.

As far as other facts, Mark is very obsessed with sex, as his lines reveal in the Montage. He is the youngest line member (20), so perhaps he's the closest to all the adolesence that they are talking about. Although he doesn't really know people at the audition, Rick had worked with the inspiration for the Richie character in a trade show, so Mark and Richie might know each other. Also, Val somewhat takes Mark under her wing. In fact, she originally pinched his butt at the end of her number! I've seen it where Val and Mark appear to be ready to date at the end of the show. After they have both been picked, she throws her arms around his neck and he lifts her off the ground in a big hug.

He might also gravitate toward Bebe and Maggie, since they both have some similiar qualities as Mark. Connie, with her mothering tendancies, might help him out when he doesn't know what to do. His biggest competition is Don, since the originally had similiar all-american looks. That could be dramatized well.

Mark is third from left, and originally wore a lt blue tank top and dark blue dance pants. He also had a matching jacket which he wore during the Rehearsal One sequence. He represents hope, the freshness of new talent, and the charm of small town america.

Rick Mason continued to act, and appeared as a dancer in several tv specials and series in the 70s. But he eventually left the business to work in his family's furniture store. As revealed by the earlier quote, he was somewhat ambivalent about his role in ACL, but regardless, he left a great role based on his life. Rick has passed away.

Mike

Mike Costa is based on the actor who first played him, Wayne Cilento, although the "I Can Do That" story is from the childhood of Sammy Williams, who played Paul in the original cast.

Mike has worked with Zach before, and has an agressive relationship with both him and most people he meets. During his number, he is determined to show Zach and the others that he is the *best* dancer at the audition--and he does. This mirrors real life in that Michael Bennett and Wayne Cilento would "battle" to show technical supremacy during rehearsals. Wayne had a similar dance style and body type to Michael, so it's not surprising that Michael named him the "best" dancer. When the actors were split into different companies after the first year of the show, dance captains would say "Your leg is too high." Wayne would say "Hell, no, I *am* Mike Costa, and I'm supposed to do it that way!

As mentioned before, the story of "I can do That" is from another dancer, but here is some background on Wayne which can be incorporated to Mike's story: Wayne went to school in suburban New York. "I always liked Open House dancing. I always danced with the black people. Just regular social dancing." He auditioned for the school musical, and the choreographer saw his natural talent, and encouraged him to take classes. He said, "Okay fine. But I am *not* wearing tights."

In junior college he took jazz and modern classes, and wore shorts, pretending to be an athlete. Then the choreographer from HS took him to see his first Broadway show. He said "I couldn't beleive it. They're really doing that for a living? She said 'yes.' I said 'Okay fine. That's it!'"

From there, he transferred to a college that had a dance curriculum. he realized that he had a lot of catching up to do. Still, he told the dance department head "You want me to dance? No tights. I will not wear tights...I think it was a week later, I had every get up on my body you could possibly think of. I had modern drag, ballet drag, jazz drag. I had outfits for days. I took two ballet classes a day, three modern classes, and a repertory class. I was dead. I just danced from morning to night." So, if you add that Mike had taken tap early on, you could incorporate this for your background for Mike.

Mike is only 24, but he is an experienced performer, having worked with Zach before as well as being friends with Bobby, Sheila, Connie, Greg, and others. He also knows Maggie and Don having done a show with them before. he might not be as friendly to some of the newer auditioners, trying to intimidate that. However, Mike is still likable, so it's not like he's trying to scare them or anything.

Mike is also used to lots of teasing, as is illustrated by his lines in the Montage. (They called me 'Stinky'for three years, Stop picking your nose, Your brother's going to medical school, and you're dropping out to be a chorus boy-Nothing!) This would make him a tougher kind of personality--it would effect someone like Mark or Paul a lot differently than it does Mike.

Mark is third from the right, and wore a blue polo and dark dance pants (tights!) This is different than the logo picture which had him in an early costume design. Mike is supposed to be married as well, despite the fact that Maggie and Connie tell him he's a sex maniac. It could just be that he's the typical male pig and talks about sex a lot, not neccessarily that he sleeps around. Who knows?
Wayne continued to perform and also successfully choreographed. He looks back at ACl as "real special."

Paul

Paul is based on the life story of Nicholas Dante, one of the authors of the show ACL, who contributed his story as well as helped edit and refine the stories of the other dancers and develop the overall structure of the play.

Seriously, there's a lot of information in ACL about Paul, but some helpful hints...

Paul is introverted, but that doesn't mean he's not dynamic. I have seen Paul performed as a miserable, miserable person, and listening to someone whine for ten minutes is probably one of the worst things that can happen to a play. Really try to find all the different emotions in his monologue. For example, he may be working in a drag joint, but he is very excited about working professionally.

I think Paul's big thing is feeling dignified. Think how being told to quit school because you're gay--totally unrelated things--would make you feel. Paul is already an ethnic minority, now he gets discriminated against in another way! The theater environment is of course different, but it consumes him and the pride and honor he can bring to his family. To me the monologue ends on a positive note, because he realizes that his family loves him even though Paul feels he let them down. I read a quote where Nick Dante said "it wasn't that it was the first time my dad ever called my his son, it was just the first time I heard it. I later realized that my own societal conditioning and preconceptions about being gay made me ashamed of myself. The drag queens with the Jewel Box were the ones with the real dignity, not me for looking down on them and myself for doing it"

Another essential thing is that you use humor in the Paul monologue. This will make him more human and likeable, and keep the audience more involved.

His introduction is a place where you can show pride, dignity and warmth. He really doesn't have a joke like most of the auditioners, so you have to find another way to make him stand out.

He is supposed to be best friends with Diana, which is part of the reason they stand next to each other. Obviouslly, they have a smilar background, are in the same business, and are both NYC natives. Get together with your Diana and spend some time developing your "memories" together. In my opinion, Paul is somewhat dependent on Diana, and she kinda takes care of him. There are several places where this relationship can be shown, such as during the opening, Diana's intro, the short Paul scene, the reentrance after Paul's monologue, and obviously up and through the accident scene. It's not that Paul would be unfriendly to Mark or the others, but he always feels he needs to prove himself. By the way, this relationship is based on Nick Dante and Michon Peacock, who was one of the co-conceptionists of the show (and basis for Bebe) Nick got included because she know him.

After Paul/Nick worked in the Drag show for 3-4 years. He quit to become a full-fledged Broadway dancer. He trained for over two years without auditioning, because he felt that although a naturally talented dancer he really needed to improve to compete with the other dancers.

Other facts:Paul is second from the left. The original Paul wore parachute pants, a tee, and an orange sweatjacket. The jacket works on a metaphorical level as protection, especially if you removed the jacket after you talked--you've opened up. He doesn't know a lot of the auditioners, but he has seen them or is perhaps nodding acquaintances.

Paul doesn't have to be played with an accent or anything, but his speech may not be as polished as others. He has a really interesting rhythm to his speech "so he said: blah blah blah. And I did." etc. This was based on Sammy Williams' speech patterns. He had tried to read the monolgue as written and it was just terrible. But when Michael Bennett told him to tell the story in his own words, it blossomed. So, they re-wrote the monologue tailored to Sammy. As you may know, Sammy won a Tony for his portrayal. Unfortunately, he hasn't done a lot of work since the show, which is really terrible!

As for Nick Dante, he continued to write and act. He has become somewhat bitter toward all involved with the original company, feeling that they never really gave him the credit he deserved. The stories were based on their lives of course, but Dante did a lot of work as well. Sadly, Nick has passed away.

Richie

Richie Walters is a combination of the original, Ron Denis and a woman, Candy Brown.

Candy was originally involved in the tape session and first workshop, and the character was named "Angel" She was the only Afro-American. An army brat, she moved around alot with her family until they finally settled in Brooklyn. She had a lot of dance experience where they taught "six o'clock splits and plenty of teeth" She found a real joy in dancing.

Now, when she was in the workshop, everyone had all these sob stories about broken homes and stuff, but Candy said "I know everyone expected me to be from the ghetto or something, but everything was just hunky-dory. I was a cheerleader, National honor society, band, theater--the most all-American kid there was!" Then, when she got a scholarship to college, she was going to be a kindergarten teacher. But then she realized "I didn't want to do that. That was soft and nice again. I saw in college not everyone was a Brownie or had a close family." So, she took the plunge and started dancing professionally.

Her first audition was for the all-black version of Hello Dolly with Pearl Baily (A famous revival). Even though she ended up backwards in ballet combination, she said "well, then, I'll give them teeth! What do you know? I got the gig!!" She also told a humorous story of having to go on unemployment after the show closed. "It was terrible. I thought I died. Still, I was glad I went into theater, it exposed me to so much. I had never seen a homosexual before! I just loved these people."

Candy was one of Bob Fosse's dancers and appeared in Pippin as well as Chicago. In fact, she decided to do Chicago instead of ACL, so when they recast the role based on her life, they hired Ron Denis. Baayork Lee said "Why does it have to be a girl? Ron has the same type of all-american background and enthusiasm that Candy has." So 'Angel' was changed to Richie.

Ron Denis similarly felt that everyone was so serious, but he said "I didn't care about that shit. I felt too much joy from dancing!" Similar to Candy, Ron felt glad that he was a black dancer involved with the project. "I mean, at least they hired one." The early 70s were the peak of the Black power era, so Richie is very proud to be there.

By the way, Candy Brown also told a funny story of how after working with Bob Fosse, he introduced her to Gwen Verdon. She says she "Fell apart. I was just stunned! I mean-Gwen Verdon!! She was my idol!"

On to more specifics for Richie...
Obviously, Richie is a proud, enthusiastic, and good-natured fellow with a good sense of humor. He can overdo things sometimes, as is shown in the jazz combo when he's SO big that he gets yelled at. Sometimes I've seen it where Richie also starts to dance with one of the girl groups like in the movie. However, I don't know if this is because it's in the movie or if original Richie did this in the play. (I think it's funny, if done right)

Richie is pretty experienced, and has been working for eight years. He knows Bobby, Greg, Judy,Connie and others. He recently worked with Mark in an industrial show, so he's about the only person Mark has met before. He would certainly know of Sheila, Cassie, Diana, and Al and Kristine and possibly others.

He considers Connie his biggest competition, because often shows won't cast more than one ethnic actor in an ensmble (Paul and Diana don't count, apparently) Richie and Connie had a duet number (where "And..." is) called "Confidence" about their rivalry. See the post on Connie for more details.

Since Richie is from Missouri, you might consider if he knows Judy and Kristine from his homestate, since they're both from Missouri too.

The "Gimme the Ball" solo was the only music in the show not written by Marvin Hamlisch. Michael Bennett actually wrote it, and it was refined by Ron Denis. He was trying to go for the highs and lows of Aretha Franklin.

Richie wears a low cut white tank and brown dance pants. He stands just left of center. He represents the joy of dancing and a cool, fun presence which is irrepressable.

Shelia

Sheila is based on the life of the original actress who played her, Carole (Kelly) Bishop.

30 years old, Sheila is brassy sexy, sophisticated, but can also be vulnerable and very likable. She is one of the more popular and featured characters in the show, and usually gives a stand out performance.

Generally, I'm assuming the history of Kelly is the background of Sheila: Kelly/Sheila's mother wanted to be a dancer, but dropped out for a marriage that was a failure. "She wanted something better for her kids, so she schlepped me down to every ballet in Denver."

She went to NYC right after HS graduation. She was scared at first, but "I wanted to get there. I wanted to study there. I wanted to get into a ballet company." She auditioned for American Ballet Theater, but didn't get in. Then she joined the Radio City Music Hall corps de ballet. However, she got sick of doing the pointe work every day. She found a job with the 1964 World's Fair in NY. She found she loved the people, the style of dance, the rhythm. "I found myself getting into jazz very easily."

Next, she travelled to Las Vegas where she worked for two and a half years. Although it was very hard, she said it was the best. "You'd never dance without working everything--your head, your eyebrow, your smile, your shoulders. When you weren't dancing, you slept." Once, she got hurt, and someone gave her a pill to help her 'get through' the show. Although it's not explicitly stated, I get the impression she got addicted to pain killers. She said "We didn't know. People were not aware then. Unfortunaltely, that tended to happen with most of the dancers."

After two and a half years, she returned to NY, realizing that the only way to become bigger in Las Vegas was by going topless--not what she wanted to do. She did shows in New York, and eventually wound up in ACL.

The song "At the Ballet" started with Kelly's recollections of her childhood. During her monologue she is first hard and insincere, much like Bobby before her. ONly after Zach yells at her does she reveal her vulnerable side and answer honestly about her rocky family life. Sheila is one of the few roles in the show that change dramatically (the others being Paul, Cassie, Diana, and Zach), so it's not surprising she won the Tony for her performance. Even though she makes wisecracks throughout the audition, the change from her "name"(Really...and I'm real glad) in the beginning to the maturity and simplicity of the "alternatives" scene (Opening a dance studio) is one of the most extreme.

She is good friends with Bobby, and a lot of her lines are cracks and asides to him and the other experienced gypsies who surround her at the audition. She is also old friends with Cassie, and knows Diana, Connie, Mike, Greg, Al, and supposedly dates or has dated Don--despite his marriage. In a scene cut from the final version of the show, the two talk about Don's impending divorce. Sheila has at some point, married and left her husband. Sheila also had a scene with Cassie in which they commiserated over the younger talents of Diana.

It is interesting that Sheila talks about being almost 30, when Al, Cassie, Connie, and Greg are all 1-2 years older than her. This gives them a bond which is not shared by say, Maggie or Mark. It seems that Sheila is very upset about this, but she said, "Really I was glad to be out of my 20s--I mean, I was finally going to be an adult!" So, she's ambivilant, but it seems like a positive thing in her eyes.

I have also read that Sheila dated Zach at some time, but I don't know when. (I'd use it, if I were playing the role) Her role with Val is fairly well defined in the show. It's clear she sees Val as a threat, and really isn't Val a younger version of Sheila? Val also implies that Sheila had breast implants as well, and we know she's not beyond getting her "Eyes done" One cool thing I saw once was after Sheila was cut, she walked right past Val and paused. It looked like she was going to smack her (Because Val made it), but then she gave her a light punch on the shoulder as if to say "Go get 'em" I don't believe this was in the original, but I thought it was cool.

Sheila has a lot of funny lines, so although she can be soft, she has to have great comic timing, as well as be gorgeous, since she's a "show girl" type. She wears a shiny, fancy, pink leotard. At the time, it was the first of the shiny type of dance clothes: all the others were matte. So, it seemed like her leotard was a sort of "suit of armor." Very appropriate for someone who keeps their defenses up. By the way, she is seventh from the left between Cassie and Bobby.

Kelly Bishop was one of the few performers in the show to have relevant acting experience, and as mentioned before, she went on to win a Tony. She continued in other roles as well as film. (She was Jennifer Grey's mother in the film Dirty Dancing.) She was the first original cast member to leave the show, but also returned many times and thinks ACL is "a wonderful way to say this is what I gave so many years to. This is what it's really like".

Understudies/Cut Dancers

Besides making the principals seem better, all the "cut dancers" understudied the other performers. In addition, they sing the entire show offstage which is very important in this show. Since they have distinct personalities, I wanted to include them as well:

Vicki Vickers--Originally played by Crissy Wilzak. She is a sexy blonde from California. She had worked with Zach before, although she doesn't have any Broadway shows. He asks her if she has had any ballet, and makes her stop dancing. She gets through the jazz alright, but only with Larry to help lead the group. Vicki wears a sexy leotard and jewelry. Crissy understudied Val and Judy.

Tricia--Originally played by Donna Drake. She is a recent college grad from Ohio. She was at another audition, and walked into the ACL auditions to check it out. Tricia sings the first "I Need This Job" solo, and has performed with a touring company, but no Broadway shows. She also dances the Ballet combination too big, and crosses in front of Sheila, which Sheila does not like. She wears a leotard and a blouse tied in a not just below her breasts. Donna was a great singer, and understudied Maggie (whom she eventually played on Broadway)as well as Connie (because she was petite) and Kristine.

Lois Dilettente--Originally played by Carolyn Kirsch. Lois is a ballerina. She doesn't have any lines. She is one of the best in the ballet combination, but dances the jazz combination as if it were a ballet combo--a very funny physical joke. Lois/Carolyn was a very experienced dancer, so she probably didn't really do this, but they wanted to show that some people have trouble adapting to different styles at auditions. She wears ballet flavored clothes--a leotard, pink tights, a skirt, and a little scarf at her neck. Carolyn was a little more mature and understudied Cassie and Sheila.

Barbara--originally played by Carole Schweid. Cassie was not originally in the opening, so Barbara was in the third group of girls. However, when Cassie was added, she got knocked out to be a swing. Carole was a vivacious, dark-haired, ethnic-girl who commuted to New York from the New Jersey suburbs. Carole groaned "I was out before it even started!" Regardless, she understudied Bebe and Diana, and eventually played Diana for several months on Broadway.

Roy--Originally played by Scott Allen. "Wrong Arms Roy," as he's nicknamed, didn't have much ballet training. He was really more of an actor/singer. Therefore, when Zach asks him how much ballet, he's had, he answers "One" (year). Scott was originally Al, but he was not a strong enough dancer, so Don Percassi took the role, and Scott moved to Roy. Scott eventually played either Zach or Donon tours. He wears a baseball jersey and jeans. The original program doesn't list him as an understudy, but I'm sure he did.

Frank--Originated by Michael Serrecchia. Frank is "Headband boy" from Long Island. He is one of the best dancers, but has a bad habit of looking at his feet as he dances. Michael didn't start dancing until he was a teen to strenghthen his legs--he had been born with a disease that kept him home bound for years. Anyway, he was very good, but still had that habit. He wears a low cut tank top, dance pants, and ...a headband. He understudied Larry, Greg, and Bobby.

Butch Burton--Originated by Chuck Cissel. Butch is an afro-american dancer from Oklahoma who has a lot of attitude, and is a rhythm and blues singer. Zach tries to correct him (after he tells Al to spit out his gum), and Butch is supposed to be like "I know this step. Don't tell me what to do" Unfortunately, Butch doesn't correct his mistake and gets cut. Chuck was trying to show the plight of ethnic performers in a very "white"world. He tells a story of how he got cut from a Michael Bennett show because he was black, even though he was better then all the others, but it wouldn't be right to have a black performer because it was a period piece. So when Micheal asked him to audition he was like "Well, well, we meet again. I'll think about it." When he did audition, not only did he sing for them, Chuck brought his band--they played a set! Michael offered the job, he said "I'll think about it." He took ACL, but Chuck said "When we go to auditions and we are better, a lot of times we are not chosen because of our color. I was giving black people something to relate to. every dancer who came to the show said 'Right on!'" Chuck understudied Richie and Paul.

Tom--Originated by Brandt Edwards. A Mississippi native from near Memphis, Tom doesn't speak, but he can be seen mouthing "1-2-3-4-5-6" throughout both combinations, another bad habit dancers develop. Tom wears dance pants, a shirt, and a v-neck sweater. Brandt understudied Don and Mark, and played Don on tour.

John Mineo was the other original swing. He understudied Mike and Al, and was a very experienced dancer who did a lot of work with Bob Fosse. He played Al for over a year on Broadway.

Finally, Clive Clerk(Original Larry) understudied Zach.

Val

Val is based on the combination of life stories of Pamela Blair (original Val) and Mitzi Hamilton.

Val is sexy, sassy, funny, foul-mouthed, but ultimately a winner. She is refreshing in that she beat the system--she didn't have the looks for the biz, so she bought what she needed to match her talent.

Val is primarily based on Pam Blair, except the plastic surgery, which was inspired by Mitzi Hamilton. Michael Bennett based the ambitious, angelic-looking, yet foul-mouthed persona on his experiences with Pam. Val does not have the same type of nervous energy that many of the other characters need in the show, she is more brazen. But she is still likeable and desparate to get the job.

Although I don't have much background info on Pam, I do know that she originally related a much longer and amusing story of all her years of dance training. In addition, she also related stories of having to work in a strip joint after her surgery (this may have been fictionalized, but regardless, she recreated her routine during Dance:Ten)

Mitzi Hamilton was born in Chicago, where her grandma used to whisper to her "You're going to be a ballerina" Her mom thought it was a cute idea, so she sent her to class to take everything from tumbling to baton twirling. When she was 8, a 17 year old neighbor used to drive her to class sometimes. "He seduced me into going down on him, giving him a handjob, that sort of thing. I didn't dare tell anyone, because I was afraid. To this day, I'm turned on by a trumpet!"

She got her first jobs when she was 16, although her dad was not happy about it. He wanted her to get married and settle down. She is really grateful to her mom for helping protect her. SHe moved at 19 and eventually wound up in New York. She did some revues and tours, and also a Burlesque show. "We weren't topless, but we wore pretty scanty costumes. I didn't care--it was a job."

Around this time she changed her name from Carole Patricie (I had mistakenly accredited this to Michon Peacock/Bebe earlier) to Carol Petri to Mitzi Hamilton. "I read about Marilyn Monroe having her chin done, and I thought 'Well if she can do it, why can't I?'" So, she had her chin and nose done, then added her breasts. "I did it for myself. I always felt like a very sensual person. I thought 'How dare I not have gotten tits?' Really, I've got this one life, I wanna have tits!" When Michael saw her new breasts, he went right up to her, put his hands on her chest, and said "they're beautiful!"

Val has been around for 5 or 6 years, so she is fairly experienced. She has a clearly defined relationship with Sheila. She has special relationship with Mark as well, since she takes him under her wing. She probably recognizes a little of herself in him when she first came to NY. In the original production, she pinches his butt at the end of her number. (My personal theory is that they have an affair after the show until she dumps him for some producer!) See Mark's entry for some other details, their end pose, for example. She would know some of the other dancers as well, probably, Mike, Maggie, and Richie, for example.

Other details: Val is fourth from Left. She wears light trunks, a tight pastel tee, and socks and tennis shoes. Her hair is typically worn in those high bunches, but she lets it down for the Finale. Val has a lot of lines, as well as a full monologue, a song, and several "moments" during the Montage, mostly variations on the 'Tits' theme. (During the "Mother" verse, she is directed to sing sweetly and wistfully about not having tits!) Val is usually one of the favorite auditioners, as long as people can get past her swearing. The swearing was toned down for the movie, and I've heard of people changing the song to "This and That." Hideous, if you consider the truth of the character!! Anyway, like Diana, she is not afraid of the truth.

Pam Blair has continued acting, I think she won a drama desk award for "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" I got to met her once in Chicago (She was in a tour of "How to Succeed" as Heddy LaRue) and she was really nice!

Mitzi Hamilton eventually played the role of Val on Broadway, and has segued into directing. She travels around alot staging various productions of ACL, as a matter of fact. Key words for Val are fun, sexy, direct, and an attention-seeker.