Every Little Step

Greetings again from the darkness. A Chorus Line is a mainstay and iconic piece of Broadway history. Now we get a documentary on the behind the scenes process of auditioning for a revival of a musical about the process of auditioning for a musical stage production. Luckily, Michael Douglas is not involved in this one. Sadly, Kirkwood and Kleban seemed to be overlooked while the genius of Michael Bennett is the focus. His original co-choreographer Bob Avian is directing the revival.

While American TV viewers have been brainwashed into believing American Idol and Dancing with the Stars are somehow what show business is all about, directors Adam Del Deo and James D Stern show us what the world of a singer/dancer/actor is truly like. The pressure and stress of having to compete for sometimes only a few seconds against hundreds of other talented people ... sometimes while rushing to one's "real" job are just excruciating. These people are trying to realize dreams and relentless hard work for their entire lives and so few actually "make it".

This documentary approach is centered on the famous audio recordings that Michael Bennett held with the initial group back in the early 70's. Marvin Hamlisch recalls going through those transcripts and creating the songs that would become Broadway staples. Mr. Hamlisch also brings us insight into the impact that actress Marsha Mason had on the success of the play after she attended (with her husband Neil Simon). Good stuff.

Sure the auditions tug at the viewer's emotions a bit, but that is because we are rarely exposed to the pressure cooker of what happens prior to the curtain rising. Jason Tam's audition is worth the price of admission alone.

Were egos involved in making this film? Absolutely. But in reality, ego is what drives these creative forces. When it is damaged, it immediately impacts the talent. We get a first hand look at that. If you are fan of A Chorus Line, this is a must see. If you are intrigued by the Broadway process, then you will certainly see aspects you have never seen before.

A Chorus Line and I came of age right around the same time, so it has not only an aesthetic appeal for me but a nostalgic one as well. I've seen several live versions and of course the movie, which could never measure up to any live performance just because of the nature of the subject, but made the show accessible to those who couldn't see it live. I did not know what to expect upon viewing Every Little Step, but how could I be disappointed given the subject matter and its irresistible music?

Reviewers here have criticized a variety of omissions in the film, charging that it is inaccurate and/or incomplete. However, I see Every Little Step as more of a multi-media magazine piece than a documentary. How amazing to listen to the interviews with the dancers back in 1974 which provided the inspiration for the musical! I thoroughly enjoyed the blending of footage of original auditions and performances in the 70s with the current audition process for the 2006 revival. Though I was disappointed not to see auditions for Morales and wondered why some of the stories were not completed, I did learn some things in retrospect that I had never known back then (eg, the Kelly Bishop I always enjoyed in Dirty Dancing is the Sheila I have been listening to all these years on the Broadway cast album). The film successfully engaged me emotionally and made me realize that it is A Chorus Line which inspired my interest in American Idol throughout these years and why that show continues to be a separate entity from these other wannabe reality shows. ELS also sent me right to the internet to dig up more Chorus Line history and cast info and You Tube performances to keep me involved and singing all afternoon, even after finishing the extra features on the DVD (there are plenty). What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

I didn't set out to be a critical viewer of this film, only to find out more about this timeless piece, and I enjoyed every little step of it.

"Kiss today goodbye/ The sweetness and the sorrow . . ." A Chorus Line

The business of show business, its pain and its glory, is never better depicted than in A Chorus Line, the 1974 Broadway musical smash of Michael Bennett's genius, reprised on stage and film to this day. In a sense, it is always pointed "t'ward tomorrow" with its eternal production and well-deserved acclaim for its incisive depiction of young actors trying out for the big time, with all the attendant sweetness and sorrow of competition, call-backs, rejections, and triumphs.

The documentary Every Little Step repeats that hard-won glory by recounting the process of the tryouts for the 2006 Broadway revival: The candidates go through the same Olympic-type workouts and tryouts as the characters in the fictional play, which itself was based on Bennett's interviews with young thespians. Not dull for a second, the doc watches several leading candidates on and off stage as they try for and sometimes win the roles that must fit them physically, temperamentally, and almost spiritually.

Unforgettable is Jason Tam doing Paul's monologue (a veiled Michael Bennett role) about his parents and his homosexuality. His crying is so believable that Bob Avian, the original choreographer and collaborator with Bennett, cries himself. Avian, in a sympathetic Simon Cowell role, is brilliant dealing with candidates and selecting the winners. He gives a good name to all the impresarios responsible for the productions to which we award Tony's and Oscars.

Watch out, this entertaining and tearful doc will get you looking on the web for a local revival of A Chorus Line, something that not even West Side Story could do.

"As we travel on, Love's what we'll remember! Kiss today goodbye, And point me t'ward tomorrow. We did what we had to do-- Won't forget, can't regret What I did for love . . ."

I think some of the reviewers have mistaken Every Little Step for a documentary on the creation of A Chorus Line. It was a documentary on casting the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line with some archival information. The archival information did focus on Michael Bennett and Marvin Hamlisch was interviewed extensively, but to say that it excluded others is, I think, way off base. This was not a documentary on the creation of A Chorus Line. The contributors were all listed at the end of Every Little Step.

Having said that I thought the archival information was very interesting. Some of the original recordings were played and they appeared to be included in the play almost verbatim, not to diminish the fine work of Kirkwood and Kleban. They showed the various singer/dancers competing side by side, or singing a song line by line with one doing the 1st line, another doing the next and so one. You did hear some songs multiple times but certainly not to the point where it became annoying or anything.

Very interesting and entertaining to see how the cast was put together, who they chose and who they didn't. I HIGHLY recommend this film.

A documentary on the revival of "A Chorus Line" on Broadway in 2006. It goes over the rehearsals and has interviews with the casting directors, the dance instructor and Donna McKechnie (going over the original production). It focuses on various performers and shows their auditions. At the end we find out who gets the job--or doesn't. There's also some very grainy b&w footage from the original show.

I saw a "Chorus Line" on stage multiple times in the 1980s. I found the play funny, sad, touching and just brilliant. I haven't seen it in ages but I clearly remember all the songs and characters. This documentary only focuses on the characters who have songs. Nothing wrong with that but it gets repetitious. I don't think I can ever listen to "Dance Ten, Looks Three" or "At the Ballet" again--they're done virtually nonstop here! Also some of the scenes look very staged, the direction is clumsy and some people appear and disappear at an alarming rate. Still the interviews are fun and there are little facts dropped throughout the movie that some people might not know. The best acting done here is by Jason Tam. He doesn't sing but he has a monologue about coming out to his parents and breaks down crying (it's in the play). His acting in that was just perfect and more than a few people in my audience were crying along with him. That alone was a highlight. Worth seeing if you're a gay man or a lover of "A Chorus Line". Slightly recommended.