A Chorus Line at Schuster

For those theatergoers unfamiliar with "A Chorus Line," it's far removed from the traditional large scale musical. It's 35 years old, making its Broadway debut in 1975. It has more than two dozen performers in the cast.
The twist to the show is the story behind the dancing and singing.
Auctioneers for a Broadway show are on stage trying to impress a hard-boiled director. During the tryout, they reveal their innermost thoughts and emotions in song and dance. The two dozen auditioneers are eventually whittled down to eight, the group that is cast for the unnamed show at hand.
"A Chorus Line," the current touring show playing at the Schuster Center through Sunday, May 2, periodically shows its age, especially in some of the preachy monologues. The two-hour show performed in one act sags a bit at the midway point.
But the sensational payoff in the final 20 minutes is worth an occasional lapse or two. The stage mirrors are always effective in the top-drawer "One" number. The best song in the show -- "What I Did For Love" -- is a highpoint as sung by Selina Verastigui as Diana.
Rebecca Riker is a standout in her solo dance number at the halfway point of the show. Erek Hanson is properly hard nosed as the director, who does the interrogations with a microphone from his offstage spot.
All in all, "A Chorus Line" at the Schuster is a solid mix of soul searching and precise choreography.
For ticket information, call 228-3630.