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NEW YORK -- Of all the dated aspects of A Chorus Line, the smash '70s musical focusing on dancers auditioning for a Broadway ensemble, the most glaring might be the notion that someone trying to gain recognition in show business would be reluctant to share details of his or her personal life in public.
Were Zach, the fictional director/choreographer who puts the hoofers through their paces and the third degree in the show, to interrogate a group of young performers weaned on celebrity confessionals and reality TV, chances are the only problem he'd have would be getting them to shut up after 15 or 20 minutes.
Watching the faithful new production of A Chorus Line (*** out of four), which opened Thursday at New York's Schoenfeld Theatre, one is always cognizant of the more than 30 years that have passed since Michael Bennett's celebrated account of dancers' lives and dreams took shape.
James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante's book, based on a series of intensive interviews with real dancers, can seem trite; exchanges in which Zach tries to prod and then soothe his charges threaten to devolve into psychobabble more than once. And Marvin Hamlisch's score, though catchy as ever and lovely at points, retains its syrupy aftertaste.
That this revival nonetheless proves endearing and exhilarating is a tribute both to the passion of A Chorus Line's creators and the talents of an immensely appealing new cast. The latter is guided with obvious love and care by Bennett's co-choreographer, Bob Avian, now in the director's chair, and original cast member Baayork Lee, who re-stages Bennett's fluid, vibrant dance routines.
There's not a bad performance in the bunch, but several players stand out. Mara Davi and Natalie Cortez bring strong, clear voices and sweetly feisty presences to the roles of Maggie and Diana, while Deidre Goodwin crackles as Sheila, a more experienced and sarcastic contender.
Sheila has a worthy rival in Jessica Lee Goldyn's sassy, surgically enhanced Val and a moving foil in Jason Tam's tender, wounded Paul. And Yuka Takara is adorable as the vertically challenged Connie, who compensates for her lack of height with a supersized ebullience.
Charlotte d'Amboise plays the brilliant but struggling Cassie, a character initially inspired and played by Bennett's real-life muse, Donna McKechnie. D'Amboise puts her own sexy, spirited stamp on the part, combining a slightly neurotic vulnerability with the irresistible vibrance that the best dancers bring to their work.
In capturing and celebrating that force, A Chorus Line, for all its quaint qualities, still has a freshness and fervency too seldom seen in contemporary musicals.
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