Lynn Belvedere

A CHORUS LINE @ RIVERSIDE THEATRE PARRAMATTA

A CHORUS LINE opened on Broadway in 1975. This classic Broadway musical has a unique storyline, and is one of the greatest musicals of all time according to critics and audiences, winning 9 TONY Awards, the Pulitzer Prize and 9 Drama Desk Awards. Played a record-breaking 6,137 Broadway performances over 15 years. Helpmann Award-nominated director and choreographer Amy Campbell, has added brand new choreography.

Production photography by Robert Catto

Huge fan of all the Broadway stories told during A CHORUS LINE, and this Sydney production is quite the best of the best, and even better than when A CHORUS LINE was at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. This cast is perfect, each singing voice is perfect, each dancer is perfection, the entire cast are triple-threats. Yes I am biased, the casting, the direction, the costumes, the lighting and the set-design, are the best I have ever seen for A CHORUS LINE, and I will be seeing this production multiple times during the run.

Following two postponements due to the pandemic, this brand-new Sydney production will finally lay bare the struggles that performers face to be seen, heard, recognised and respected. “The back stories behind these twenty amazing roles, are based on the real-life anecdotes of Broadway dancers interviewed by Michael Bennett in his East Side studio, during one weekend in January 1974. Rivalry and wine paved the way to a weekend of divulged secrets about their upbringing, coming-of-age, sexuality and careers.” Conceived and originally directed on Broadway by Michael Bennett, and features music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban.

Quite unexpectedly, this production of A CHORUS LINE has an interval.

NOTHING is last song before the interval.
DANCE TEN, LOOKS THREE is the first song after the interval.

Just loved the choreography and the  clever use of the extra mirrors, in the ex-girlfriend Cassie  (Angelique Cassimatis)  sequence, with the song “The Music and the Mirror”.

“What I Did For Love” is superbly presented, and an absolute delight.

The finale show-stopper is “One”, and the costumes for “One” looked beautiful in silver, that perfectly matched the silver back drops. Highly recommended.

DURATION of approx. 140 minutes including the 20 minute interval.

Extra special thanks go to their Voice and Dialect Coach – LINDA NICOLLS-GIDLEY as the words “21 years old, I was born on a full moon in Herculaneum, Missouri . . . I’m from St. Louis, Missouri” were all correctly pronounced for a native speaker born in Missouri USA.

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES – The performance on Friday Night had two Auslan interpreters, bringing this musical to a brand new audience.

Riverside Theatres – Corner of Church Street and Market Street, Parramatta, NSW.

Sydney Festival presents the Darlinghurst Theatre Company production of A CHORUS LINE in association with Riverside Theatres.

A CHORUS LINE at RIVERSIDE THEATRE PARRAMATTA from 13th January until 22nd January 2022.

 

STREET ADDRESS – Corner of Market Street and Church Street, Parramatta NSW 2150.

VENUE SEATING CAPACITY – Riverside Theatre 761; Lennox Theatre 213; Rafferty’s Theatre 88; Total 1,062 seats.

*** However as the building deliberately has NO street numbers, you are prevented from telephone ordering (including taxi apps) a taxi after the show. ***

DISCLOSURE – Riverside Theatres kindly provided our two Sydney Arts Guide reviewers, with complimentary tickets.

 

WEBSITE – https://riversideparramatta.com.au/show/a-chorus-line/

Production photography by Robert Catto
Production photography by Robert Catto

Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett
Book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Co-Choreographed by Bob Avian

Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer, in association with Plum Productions, Inc.
A CHORUS LINE is presented by permission of ORiGiN™ Theatrical on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC, A Concord Theatricals Company.

STARRING
Zach – Adam Jon Fiorentino
Greg – Ryan Ophel
Don – Harry Targett
Mark – Maikolo Fetikoa
Mike – Lachlan Dearing
Al – Ross Chisari
Bobby – Max Bimbi
Larry – Brady Kitchingham
Paul – Ethan Ritchie
Ritchie – Tony Oxybel
Cassie – Angelique Cassimatis
Sheila – Nadia Coote
Maggie – Madeline Mackenzie
Judy – Angelina Thomson
Bebe – Natalie Foti
Vicky/Dance Captain – Molly Bugeja
Diana – Mariah Gonzalez
Val – Rechelle Mansour
Kristine – Suzanne Steel
Connie – Ashley Goh

CREATIVES
Director/Choreographer – Amy Campbell
Musical Director – Damon Wade
Music Supervisor – Andrew Worboys
Associate Director/Associate Choreographer – Sally Dashwood
Set Designer – Simon Greer
Lighting Designer – Peter Rubie
Costume Designer – Christine Mutton
Associate Musical Director – Zara Stanton

Company Manager – Jonathan Ware
Production Manager – Amellia Bruderlin
Stage Manager – Maree Delvecchio
Wardrobe Supervisor – Evelyn Everaerts-Donaldson
Head Electrician – Matt Quince
Voice and Dialect Coach – Linda Nicolls-Gidley
Assistant Stage Manager – Lillian Lee
Microphone Technician – Ashleigh King
Production photography by Robert Catto

ELYSHA MANIK
Assistant to the Choreographer/ Sheila cover and Kristine cover

NATASHA MARCONI
Diana cover

TIM DASHWOOD
Zach cover

https://www.darlinghursttheatre.com/achorusline

Production photography by Robert Catto





 

 

Published by Lynn Belvedere

Once we were old enough, my parents took the whole family to the Sydney CBD cinemas every week. Thus began a lifetime interest, in going to the cinema every week, and became a passionate cinephile by watching all those very heavily edited ''Australian Film Censorship Board'' true cinéaste versions of brand new release ''Cinematograph Films''. Greater Union always gave my father (who worked in Cinema Distribution Exhibition) guest double movie passes, to every first-night ''red carpet Opening Night'' at The State Theatre Cinema at 49 Market Street. Up until his death, my dad always received ''two house seats'' for every Opening Night performance events at the Theatre Royal SYDNEY and at Her Majesty's Theatre SYDNEY. As a child, when mum choose not to go, I often went with him, to those live performance events. As a young child, I remember being taken for each new show, at both The New Theatre at 60 Sussex Street, and the Phillip Street Theatre when located at 150 Elizabeth Street, and for classical music concerts at Sydney Town Hall. = = = ★★★★★ = = = Being happy is a choice, and I have always viewed my life, as material ready be made into a series of amazing tentpole movies. My New Years Resolution is kept every year: ''Get to see/review five new live theatre shows each week, and get to see/review six new cinema movies each week'', plus is one of the Australian Cinema Pioneers, and apparently have seen far too much already, but always wanting to experience more and more each year. I am also able to do almost everything that I enjoy doing. Yes, I do have a great daytime job in I.T. as ''Software Design Project Manager'', PLUS each evening until quite late - - - Australian Cinematograph Films historical censorship consultant - product-placement consultant - mystery-shopper consultant - playwright, writer, author, director, producer, photographer, cinematographer, color-grader, subtitles proofreader - arts/ drama/ music/ film critic and judge, journalist, member FIPRESCI & FCCA & AFCA, member AACTA accredited film reviewer-critic-writer, accredited IMDB.COM critic-reviewer-author, projectionist, plus an innovative iconoclast - - - ★★★★★ LYNN BELVEDERE ★★★★★ - - - [usr 5] - - -