The stars, the sequins, the spotlight: the glitz and glamour of Broadway is brought into sharp relief by Every Little Step. Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern’s insightful documentary tracks the arduous process of producing the Broadway revival of 1970s classic A Chorus Line. Amidst the 8-month auditions, the film also reveals the stories behind Michael Bennett’s innovative, Pulitzer Prize winning production.
“This is our story, this is the truth,” one hopeful auditionee emphatically states. And this is no hyperbole. A Chorus Line was born of a recorded, wine-infused conversation with a room full of dancers. It quickly became a story not only about dance, but also about their lives, ethnicity and sexuality. The revealing truths within this original, raw material brought about further innovation when Bennett established the first ‘workshops’ – essentially creating the production as he collaborated with his dancers and his renowned composer Marvin Hamlisch.
As a fly on the wall of the gruelling audition process, it’s impossible to overlook the passion and determination both the dancers and producers bring to the table. But there’s also healthy dose of ego. Tyce Diorio, whom you may recognise from his amazing choreography in America’s So You Think You Can Dance, is a hugely entertaining example of this. An astoundingly good dancer, Tyce exits his audition with an off-putting and cocky self-confidence, the tenuousness of which is hilariously underscored when he gets a call back.
On the flip side, Jason Tam’s audition for Paul is so honest and affecting that it brought the producers to tears. This is a wonderful moment that really highlights the personal nature of this production. To that end, however, it is surprising that the documentary shies away from revealing more about Bennett’s own life. His death in 1987 is mentioned, though not the cause – AIDS related lymphoma – which was surely a relevant reality of that era, particularly given its treatment in another contemporary musical, Rent. And yet perhaps it is fitting that a documentary about A Chorus Line should stay focused on the dancers. Bennett’s singular vision to create a show about his community is certainly well captured, and the archive footage of his Tony Award acceptance speech is a poignant and passionate testament to that.
So you think you can dance? Then have your jazz hands ready as you line up for Every Little Step.
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Every Little Step
Director: James D. Stern & Adam Del Deo
Cast: Bob Avian, Michael Bennett, Baayork Lee, Meredith Patterson, Chryssie Whitehead, Marvin Hamlisch, Donna McKechnie
Country: USA
Australian Release Date (limited Sydney & Melbourne): 2 July 2009
