Landmark musical A Chorus Line, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will get a one-night-only benefit concert July 27 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre. Currently home to the Alicia Keys musical Hell's Kitchen, the theatre served as the longtime home of the 1975 musical's original Broadway run.
The concert performance will feature members of the musical's original cast, including Kelly Bishop, Wayne Cilento, Baayork Lee, Priscilla Lopez, and Donna McKechnie. Also on hand will be Broadway favorites (many of them also A Chorus Line alum from other productions) Charlotte d'Amboise, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Robyn Hurder, 2025 Tony Award winner Francis Jue, Krysta Rodriguez, Jessica Vosk, Anthony Wayne, Tony Yazbeck, and Leigh Zimmerman.
Lee is directing the evening, and also re-creating Michael Bennett and Bob Avian's original choreography. Lee has been the primary steward of the production's original staging since creating the role of Connie in the first company.
Featuring music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, A Chorus Line premiered at Off-Broadway's Public Theater in 1975 before transferring to Broadway's Shubert the same year, going on to run for a record-breaking 6,137 performances; the musical was Broadway's longest-running for many years, before being overtaken by Cats. Inspired by a number of group meetings in which original director-choreographer Bennett asked real Broadway dancers to share their life stories, A Chorus Line transports audiences to auditions for the dance ensemble of a Broadway musical. When the director-choreographer gets personal with his questions, the group of stage hopefuls spill everything about their dreams, upbringings, and more.
Hamlisch and Kleban's score introduced such favorites as "One," "What I Did for Love," "Nothing," and "At the Ballet," while the show itself won nine 1975 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a rarity for a musical. A movie adaptation hit theatres in 1985, and the musical has become a mainstay of theatres internationally in the years since it closed on Broadway, in 1990. A Broadway revival was mounted in 2006.
鈥淲e are thrilled to celebrate 50 years of A Chorus Line on Broadway with this one-night-only spectacular, supporting our programs and services dedicated to the dance community," says ECF President and CEO Joe Benincasa in a statement. "We鈥檙e so grateful to everyone for making this special night possible, and we can鈥檛 wait to honor this milestone at the Shubert Theatre."
鈥淚t has been an honor to spend the last 50 years of my life bringing A Chorus Line around the world,鈥� adds Lee. 鈥淚t warms my heart to celebrate this milestone at our original home of 15 years, the Shubert Theatre. I know Michael (Bennett) and Bob (Avian) are smiling down knowing their legacy continues on. Here鈥檚 to another 50 years.鈥�
The concert is being presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals, which licenses the musical; and with special permission from John Breglio on behalf of the Michael Bennett Estate.
The concert is likely the reasoning behind the abrupt cancellation of a non-union Off-Broadway revival of the title that was announced June 5, and canceled the same day. Concord representatives reported that the production had been misrepresented to the licensing company, leading to the run being initially approved in error.
Tickets for the upcoming concert go on sale June 30 at noon ET at .
Kelly Bishop in A Chorus Line
Kelly Bishop and company of A Chorus Line
Don Percassi and cast of A Chorus Line
Priscilla Lopez and cast of A Chorus Line
Company of A Chorus Line
Thommie Walsh in A Chorus Line
Company of A Chorus Line
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