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| CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: Johno60 01:21 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| Do CHORUS LINE directors generally do the show in a ‘70’s’ era or are the references to Robert Goulet/Troy Donahue’ et cetera ever updated? | |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: Revned 01:58 am EDT 06/28/22 | |
| In reply to: CHORUS LINE - Johno60 01:21 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| A director does not have the option of changing lines in the script; that would be a violation of the production license. To make such changes, the producers would have to apply for permission from Tams-Witmark/Concord Theatricals, and the decision would probably be referred to the Michael Bennett estate. The estate is controlled by the lawyer John Breglio, who guards the property very closely and would be unlikely to approve such changes. |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: IvyLeagueDropout 03:10 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: CHORUS LINE - Johno60 01:21 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| I'm not aware of any productions changing those references, certainly none that I've seen. I've heard the original production changed lines slightly to keep "the year of the chicken" reference up to date, but eventually set firmly and permanently in 1975. In my opinion, it needs to stay where it is in terms of time. The era of musicals like the one they are auditioning for was ending. And the sexual and cultural mores referenced were about to change in a big way. Moving it forward in time at all (including the lyrical references you mentioned) would undermine the storytelling, in my opinion. Note: I generally don't favor making changes to scripts/lyrics, unless the old ones genuinely prevent a show from working. | |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: dbarnum 09:50 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: CHORUS LINE - IvyLeagueDropout 03:10 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| I could have sworn that they briefly changed them in the 80s, mainly because I was singing along, silently, with the song. But I’ve seen the show in so many places that I can’t remember where I heard it. | |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: dsikula 11:55 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: CHORUS LINE - dbarnum 09:50 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| I saw the original 42 times (I know ...) and remember they tried moving things forward for a while (moving up people's birth years), but after a while, seemed to realize there were so many changes necessary (like referring to The Ed Sullivan Show) that they froze it and kept it in a more-or-less permanent 1975-76. The original was so determined to adhere to its "Time: Now, Place: This Theatre" setting that the opening night in Boston was always something like eight weeks from the actual date of the performance. They did update the Troy Donahue reference, but I'm damned if I remember who it was. I do kind of recall it not scanning. |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: bobby2 04:46 am EDT 06/27/22 | |
| In reply to: re: CHORUS LINE - dsikula 11:55 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| 42 Times! yeah! Tell us some of the best performers you remember. (if any) Best Cassie? |
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| re: CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: soxxy27 10:15 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: CHORUS LINE - dbarnum 09:50 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| You’re right. They did on Broadway for a time in the late 70s or 80s. I don’t remember them either. I was happy to see they changed them back not much later. | |
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| re: A CHORUS LINE | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 03:06 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 03:06 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: CHORUS LINE - Johno60 01:21 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| It’s called A CHORUS LINE and I’ve never heard of it being updated. | |
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| re: A CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: ms721 03:58 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHORUS LINE - KingSpeed 03:06 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| Reminds me of the line in A Class Act, where it's stated that they will be calling it "A Chorus Line" instead of just "Chorus Line" so they can get it up there in the NY Times ABC listings. | |
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| re: A CHORUS LINE | |
| Last Edit: WWriter 09:59 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| Posted by: WWriter 09:57 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHORUS LINE - ms721 03:58 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| I guess that was a laugh line, or a rewritten memory, but Bennett was calling it "A Chorus Line" at the very first meeting on the very first tape. I heard him say it on the tape once, I guess in a radio feature, but I wasn't able to find it online. However, I did find two references to his calling it "A Chorus Line." Here are the links (I hope!): BBC NYT While searching for this info, I came across all sorts of artefacts. Perhaps the oddest was Terry Gross interviewing Michael Bennett. When she asks about the origin of the show, he does not mention the tapes, nor does he mention Tony Stevens or Michon Peacock. It's as if the show was 100% his doing. |
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| Link | Show Showdown |
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| re: A CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 09:22 am EDT 06/27/22 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHORUS LINE - WWriter 09:57 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| I have always heard, not just from A Class Act, that he added the A to make it first in the ABCs and I don’t see otherwise in the links you posted. | |
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| re: A CHORUS LINE | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 04:51 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
| In reply to: re: A CHORUS LINE - ms721 03:58 pm EDT 06/26/22 | |
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| Yep. That is true. | |
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