What The Cast Of A Chorus Line Did For Love Paid Off

Last Sunday, Youth Musical Theater Company (YMTC) closed their production of “A Chorus Line,” the Tony-award winning Broadway show which first appeared in 1975. The show follows the audition of fifteen performers, all hoping to make it into a real Broadway chorus line. However, this audition differs from others in that it not only measures their abilities in dancing and singing, but also judges their sharing of life experiences that contributed to their personalities. Among the crowd are sassy Shiela (Played by Maybeck High School junior Matia Emsellem), cute couple Al and Kristine DeLuca (Berkeley High sophomore Alex Senauke and BHS senior Annie Gillies), and surgically-enhanced Val (BHS junior Allie McCoy).

The lack of set gave more focus to the actors, emphasizing the fact that what they have to say is the most important part of the plot. With that said, there were few problems in the overall show. One, however, was that Diana (Albany High junior Annelise Chin) was not Puerto Rican, which was very distracting during her song “Nothing.” Her stellar voice, however, proved that she was fit to play the role. Another annoyance came during the trio “At The Ballet”, during which Maggie (BHS junior Marnina Wirtshafter), Sheila, and Bebe (Jewish Community High School sophomore Yael Platt) sang of their troubled home lives, and how ballet lessons became a safe haven for them. Yes, it’s understood that living with a cheating father, a discouraging mother, and two un-involved parents can send one’s sanity into a tailspin, but the choreography of this part was extremely unsatisfactory. While at the beginning, the switch in spotlights brought a sort of dramatic focus between the particular girl and the audience, all was lost when they began to weave around each other. As they were moving, the audience lost a bit of the soul in their stories. The number would have been more satisfying had they been given a chance to continue showing their emotion, in order to compliment their lovely singing.

On another note: while I know that the acting, singing, and dancing are the elements of this show that the audience is supposed to marvel, I could not help but become distracted by a few of the costumes. No, I do not mean the extremely tight leotards, etc. I’m talking about a few special touches given to a few lucky characters. First, there is the spectacular, eye-catching design of a leotard in the very beginning of the show, worn by BHS sophomore Sofia Escudero. Second, was the ensemble worn by Zach the director (University of Pennsylvania graduate and BHS graduate 2004 Gabe Crane); a saucy slice of the seventies made its way to the stage in an awesome vest and an interesting paisley blouse. Finally, I often found myself becoming distracted by the pink vest worn by Greg (Chabot College freshman Vincent Ogden). This little pink delight was a treat to watch as Greg strutted about the stage delivering his monologue.

Though the show itself focuses on the special talents and stories of all fifteen performers, a few in particular really stood out. Richie’s solo (“Gimme the ball”), by Cal State East Bay sophomore Anthony Johnson. As he sang about his previous career plans of being a kindergarten teacher, and how that didn’t exactly work out, “Shit! Shit! What are you gonna be?” all I could think was “Shit, Richie, I really like the way you move!” His wonderful footwork was an excellent addition to the show.

Another exceptional dancing performance came from Zach’s assistant, Larry, played by SF Academy of Art University freshman Olewasami Brown. His wonderful cavorts around the stage were delightful, making him stand out in this already talented cast. I was more than glad to watch him as he stepped in front of the other dancers to give examples of choreography, and I found myself growing sad when he left the stage.

When Chin stepped into the spotlight for her solo in “What I did for Love,” her beautiful voice captivated the essence of the song, embodying the passion that the dancers share. Their stories show just what artists are willing to do in order to keep their craft alive.

With such a short amount of time to perfect the demanding choreography, these performers have certainly proven they have extraordinary capabilities. Once again, YMTC provided much-appreciated, satisfying entertainment, and we can all look forward to their next performance.

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