By Kristin Barking
Middle Stew Reporter
MURFREESBORO,
Tenn. -- The cast of “A Chorus Line” gave their final performance of the
musical at the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts on Nov. 18 in front of an
enthused audience of roughly 150 people.
The
performance at 2 p.m. completed the show’s 17-day run, and the audience
bestowed lots of cheers and applause on the cast, rewarding them with a
standing ovation when all the performers came dancing on stage in sparkling
golden costumes for the big finale.
After
the cast was announced in August, the group rehearsed six days a week for four
months under the instruction of co-directors Jeff Stateler, Tim Smith and Julie
Wilcox.
For
Stateler, who considers working with such a big group as “challenging, but also
rewarding”, the biggest challenge was to find people who could master singing
and dancing as well as acting. He believes the show’s appeal stems from its
overlying theme of searching for approval and the possibility to identify with
at least one out of the various characters.
“A
Chorus Line” is set in 1975 in New York and tells the story of a group of
dancers competing for parts in a Broadway show, with a director forcing them to
reveal their life stories as part of the audition process.
Wilcox
choreographed the numbers, keeping in mind that the dances had to be very
elaborate to live up to Broadway standards.
“She
was amazing, and she made us amazing,” cast member and Middle Tennessee State
University musical theatre graduate Sherman Sutton said.
Competing
for roles was not only an important issue within the show. Sutton, who quickly
turned into an audience favorite with his portrayal of a passionate,
hip-swaying Richie, fought for his role with the same fervor he displayed on
stage when he was up against 32 competitors in the castings: “This is my role,
and no one is going to take that away from me,” he told himself.
Once
all members were assembled, Sutton found himself in a different atmosphere: “I
love the pep talks we give each other, and bonding with the cast. After
rehearsal, we would all go out for drinks together.”
A
background wall of mirrors and colorful outfits in the style of the ´70s helped
to create the setting. The cast did not have to rely on props to fill the
stage, for all it took to fill the entire auditorium were their voices.
The audience had a chance to talk to the
performers after the show. The glittering golden costumes they were still
wearing had been sent from New York just for the musical, carrying the showbiz
flair of the Big Apple into the halls of the Center for the Arts.
Stateler’s
favorite part of the show remains the looks on the faces of the eight hopefuls
who make it the moment they get the news. Although this revelation concludes
the show, for the dancers that were chosen, “It’s not the end, it’s just the
beginning.” As for the cast’s carriers, the audience seemed to agree on
that statement, reasoning that none of them needed a golden suit to shine.
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