UA’s Theatre, Dance Closes Season with ‘A Chorus Line’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nearly every dancer, actor and singer dreams of performing on Broadway.

Viewed as the epitome of commercial theatre, many performing artists believe that if they can make it on Broadway they’ve reached the top and the doors of opportunity will swing open, leaving their days as starving artists behind.

That Broadway dream, and struggle, is so intimately familiar to performing artists that there’s a classic musical about it, one that’s beloved by those in and outside of the profession.

On April 18-22 at 7:30 p.m. and again on April 23 at 2 p.m., The University of Alabama’s theatre and dance department will perform that beloved musical, “A Chorus Line,” at the Marian Gallaway Theatre as the department’s season finale.

“Our department chair said in a newsletter that he chose this to be the season ender because it’s his favorite show and many people who are involved in musical theater’s favorite,” said Rex Glover, a 22-year-old senior double majoring in musical theater and dance.

“I just hope the audience gets out of it what us actors on stage get out of it. There’s not another show out there that captures this experience so deeply. It’s reality. Every person faces that moment in their lives where they do not know what to do next and then an opportunity comes up that can save them.”

Glover, who plays the character Larry in the musical, said the story is about 17 dancers auditioning for a show on Broadway, but there are only eight slots – four for men and four for women.

For some of the characters, not landing the part means they won’t have enough money to eat.

“It gets inside the world of professional dancers, a world I know well, and enables those who may not be familiar with it to see their struggles from a universal perspective,” said Stacy Alley, the show’s director and choreographer. “More than anything, I hope it’s the heart of the show and the people in it that we most successfully convey to the audience.”

The original production of “A Chorus Line” appeared on Broadway in 1975.

Every spring, the theatre and dance department performs a different musical chosen by faculty. This year, they picked “A Chorus Line,” which will be the final show that some of the department’s faculty members who are leaving UA will see while working for the department.

Tickets are available in Rowand-Johnson Hall at the ticket office, by phone at 205/348-3400 or online at UA.tix.com. Prices are for $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and UA employees and $14 students and children.