Chorus Line, A, ranks among the most popular and honored musicals in American theater history. The show opened in 1975 and ran until 1990. Its 6,137 Broadway performances remained a record for any Broadway musical or play until being surpassed by Cats in 1997. A Chorus Line swept all the major awards for the 1975-1976 season, including the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for drama.
A Chorus Line does not have a conventional plot. The show takes the form of an audition for 17 dancers. They are competing for 8 jobs in the chorus of a new musical. Zach, the show’s director, asks the dancers to tell about their lives and careers so he can see if they are suitable for roles in his show. By the end of the audition, the audience has heard about the dreams, fears, and hopes of all the dancers.
The musical gained international praise for its skill at using dance as well as songs and dialogue to expose the personalities and inner feelings of the characters. Michael Bennett directed A Chorus Line and was the co-choreographer along with Bob Avian. Marvin Hamlisch composed the music. Edward Kleban wrote the lyrics, and James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante wrote the dialogue.
A Chorus Line originated early in 1974 when Bennett rented a studio where he asked a group of veteran Broadway dancers to talk about their careers and their personal lives. Bennett taped their conversations, which became the raw material for the show.
The musical began as a workshop production in which the creators attempted to refine the production before offering public performances. It was previewed in April 1975 at the Newman Theater and opened at the Public Theater off Broadway the following month. A Chorus Line became an instant hit. After 101 performances, it transferred to Broadway on July 25. Several of the dancers who contributed their experiences to the taped conversations were members of the original cast. A motion picture version of A Chorus Line was released in 1985.
