Historical Notes On 'Chorus Line'

My name is Luis Villabon, the choreographer for the recent Northern Stage production of "A Chorus Line." Thanks to Charlie McMeekin for the wonderful review. I am pleased that he enjoyed the show.

I just wanted to clarify two things. Although I was listed as the show's choreographer, I merely re-staged Michael Bennett's original choreography. I have been blessed to work with many of the original creators of the show, and I am pleased to share that great work with as many people as I can, because I happen to think it is brilliant. It was a thrill for me to play the show's choreographer as well!

Secondly, I wanted to address the paragraph in the review which states:

"The curtain call also posed a problem for me, as it occurs just after the heartbreaking finale in which some of the characters we've come to care about are sent packing. To have them return for a final number and a bow didn't work for me, perhaps because I'd read the original director's program notes before the show began. 'I don't believe in bows, just the fade out,' he wrote. 'That's what a dancer's life is.'"

The original director, Michael Bennett, who also choreographed the show, staged it this way originally. To clarify, he was referring to an actual curtain call after the finale dance. One of his original concepts was to have all of the women change into blonde wigs so they would appear anonymous to the audience. They decided to scrap that idea, because there was not sufficient time to make the quick change work.

The finale should have a bit of a chilling effect, since we've spent two hours getting to know the dancers' individual lives, only to find them performing as one nameless, faceless machine in the end. Michael Bennett did, however choose to acknowledge each individual dancer in the bow. It is after that moment that he decided to make them anonymous once again.

Luis Villabon
Northern Stage Co.
White River Junction