The recent revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway mega-hit A CHORUS LINE in the West End is closing short of its anticipated limited run later this month, yet the production forever lives on via the stories of its cast members in a fascinating and very meta new documentary on the production and its players, OFF THE LINE.
West End CHORUS LINE revival cast member Harry Francis, who played Mark, briefly traces the roots of the musical - specifically, highlighting Michael Bennett's taped group therapy sessions that formed the basis for the groundbreaking and innovative theatrical piece - and then lets the performers speak for themselves for the most part, sharing their tales of theatre and life, all the while with Francis posing questions sourced from the show itself, such as "What if you couldn't perform anymore?" and many others.
"This is just me, right? I'm not having to be anyone else?" says a participant with a nervous laugh when asked to introduce herself. Such are the un-scripted joys to be reaped from OFF THE LINE.
"I consider giving up every time I go to an audition," is yet another one of the many revealing and insightful moments in this terrific look inside the minds and hearts of performers, both on the line and off.
The original 2013 West End revival cast of A CHORUS LINE (and their roles) is as follows:
Adam Pelty |
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Alexzandra Sarmiento |
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Daisy Marshall |
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Frances DuBarry |
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Gary Ray |
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Lucy Morton |
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Simon Slater |
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Georgie Ashford |
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Ed Currie |
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Segun Fawole |
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Harry K. Francis |
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Rebecca Giocopazzi |
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Victoria Hamilton-Barritt |
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Rebecca Herszenhon |
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James T. Lane |
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Marc Leslie |
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Alice Jane Murray |
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Genevieve Nicole |
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Ashley Nottingham |
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John Partridge |
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Alastair Postlethwaite |
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Andy Rees |
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Michael Steedon |
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Scarlett Strallen |
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Vicki Lee Taylor |
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Gary Watson |
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Leigh Zimmerman |
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OFF THE LINE Part 1 and Part 2 is available to view in full now. View Part 1 below.
View Part 2 of OFF THE LINE below.
Photo Credit: Facebook
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