SEATTLE — It might be 40 years old, but it’s a story that remains relevant.
The 1975 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “A Chorus Line” was groundbreaking. It also won nine Tony Awards, including best musical, and is one of Broadway’s longest-running shows.
Nobody had ever produced anything like it, though many important musicals written since then have emulated its innovative style.
About the soul of musical theater, “A Chorus Line” takes place during an audition in a Broadway theater at a time when New York was a grittier city.
The dancers who vie for places in the chorus of a new musical are asked by the casting director to talk about themselves.
No one really wants to do it, but most end up revealing much about their lives, putting it all out there in pursuit of their dreams.
The 5th Avenue Theatre’s directors, pit orchestra and cast meet and exceed the demands of the show, with its classic Marvin Hamlisch score and original Michael Bennett choreography.
Who needs Broadway when you can see this sort of quality close to home?
Andrew Palermo as the casting director Zach and Chryssie Whitehead as the dancer Cassie, both from Los Angeles, have long credit lists behind their names, including Broadway and television, and are billed as the stars. They were great.
However it was the energetic and talented actors from Everett, Bellevue, Seattle, Tacoma and Portland, Oregon who made the show brilliant.
Everett native and Cascade High School alumni Paul Flanagan, who previously toured the country in “A Chorus Line,” reprises his take on the character of Al.
Look for Sarah Rose Davis, who delighted Everett audiences in Village Theatre’s recent “Funny Girl.” Taryn Darr, also familiar to Village audiences, was fabulous as Val.
Other outstanding cast members include Trina Mills as Sheila, Richard Peacock as Richie, Gabriel Corey as Mike, Katrina Asmar as Morales, Charlie Johnson as Bobby, Mallory King as Kristine, Greg McCormick Allen as Larry, Eric Esteb as Don, Taylor Niemeyer as Bebe, Scott Brateng as Greg, McKayla Marso as Judy, Stephen Diaz as Paul and Momoko Sugai as Connie.
In other words, the (entire) chorus line.
A Chorus Line
“A Chorus Line” continues through Sept. 28 at the 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle. Ticket prices start at $29 and are available at www.5thavenue.org or by phone at 206-625-1900. The show has a run time of about two hours, 10 minutes. It feels like 90 minutes, but there’s no intermission. So, hit the restrooms before curtain.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @galefiege.
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