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D I R E C T O R ’ S   N O T E

At midnight on January 26, 1974 Michael Bennett gathered 22 dancers to talk about their lives. He taped the entire 12-hour session, and after months of collaboration and hard work, A Chorus Line was born. It opened 45 years ago on July 25, 1975, and it’s safe to say that the show saved Broadway.

“Broadway attendance was at a near all-time low of 6.6 million before the musical premiered. Afterwards, A Chorus Line shot the attendance up to 8.8 million, became the centerpiece for New York City tourist promotion and led to the revitalization of Times Square. In 1983, on its 3,389 performance, A Chorus Line became the longest running musical in Broadway history, a title it would hold until 1997.”

A Chorus Line is unlike any other, and we are so excited to be able to share it now with you all. Today, professional actors (just like the ones portrayed in this show) are out of work for the foreseeable future, and the lights of Broadway, currently, are no more. We may not be Broadway, but we are honored to be able to share these stories about something we are all so passionate about. We are grateful to be able to still do what we love, and I sincerely hope it touches your heart like it has all of ours.

These actors have been working so hard these past two months, pouring their hearts and souls into these complex roles while putting in blood, sweat, and tears to rise to the challenges this production induces. I am so proud of them for bringing these stories to life! I also must extend buckets of gratitude to everyone else who played a part in bringing this production to the stage. Special thanks to: Angelo Goderre, Mark Wildman, Erica Fox, Tricia & Whit Williams & the whole Island Theater Family, David & Cynthia Baker, Torie D’Alessandro, our dance captains, and of course our dedicated cast & crew. I truly want to thank every single one of you, including those of you here to see our show, for helping a dream of mine come true. I’m endlessly grateful.

Emily Poehlman

@o_emms_o