A CHORUS LINE CHARACTERS
A CHORUS LINE SONGS
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Zach will make the choices. Looks and dance are what count, but he also wants (as never in real auditions) to know something about each of the dancers. The dancers can't believe it; they don't want to talk about themselves; but one by one, under pain of dismissal, they tell their stories.
Mike is an Italian kid from Trenton, NJ. He tagged along to his sister's dance classes, told himself "I Can Do That".
For a lot of the women, it started with ballet lessons, which provided either a refuge from a substitute for what was goin on at home or, as Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie tell us: "At The Ballet".
Al and Kristine are husband and wife; Al habitually finishes her sentences. Like everyone else, Kristine always dreamed of seeing herself in the movies, but as Doris Daym not Ann Miller. The only problem is she can't "Sing".
The conversation turns to sex, love, growing up in "Montage", in which nearly everyone participates. The final section of "Montage" gives us the memories of Diana Morales, a girl from the Bronx who got into the High School for Performing Arts but ran afoul of her crazed drama teacher for whom she could feel "Nothing".
The keys to success in landing dance jobs are now blutly spelled out for us by Val, in the "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three".
We've seen early on that Zach knows some of the dancers already. What we don't know until well along is that Zach used to be involved with Cassie; she left because all he cared about was his work. Now, having failed in her efforts to graduate to acting parts in Hollywood, Cassie has come back to New York, desperate for work, any work, and swearing to her ex-lover that all she needs is "The Music and The Mirror".
Paul, a Puerto Rican kid who worked in a drage show recounts the story of the day his parents found out. From the moment he recalls how his father told the show's producer, "take care of my son," the audience wants Paul to succeed most of all.
The group has long since dwindled from 24 to 16; the final cutdown approaches, as Zach takes the dancers through the new show's big number, "One".
And Paul goes down with a knee injury. As he's taken off to a hospital, through with dancing for now, maybe forever, Zach asks the remaining company what they'd do if today were the day they had to stop dancing. Regret nothing, Diana answers for all: "What I Did For Love".
At the very last moment, with no time for sentiment of anything else, Zach announces his decisions: Diana, Cassie, Mike, and Val are among the lucky ones. As the unchosen walk off, the music starts again, and we see what they've been working toward: a full-blown reprise of "One", all glitter and top hats.
