<p>Has anyone else watched this? I was bawling the whole way through (I am SUCH a sentimental theater mom. gah.)</p>
<p>Documentary film about the casting for the recent revival of "A Chorus Line." It's a GREAT show - the boy who auditioned (and did get the part) for the part of Paul brought the entire group of auditioners to real actual tears. It was fantastic.</p>
<p>A must see for all hopeful MT students in my opinion. If you get the STARZ channels on cable, it's playing this month - it's on again this Wednesday the 7th (early in the morning so it's one for the DVR or tivo) and again later in the week. Definitely one to watch.</p>
<p>Yes, wonderful, but it was amazing me to that anyone would still want to go into this profession after seeing it! Just realizing how many unbelievably talented and skilled people get turned away…</p>
<p>I know, right? - but, actually, the ones that they decided against, I usally could see why they made those decisions. Ultimately it was about being right for the part. Some of the ones who did not make it in, you could see they also were not of the same caliber of either acting or voice as the ones who did. (not all! but a few)</p>
<p>Actually knowing that so much of it boils down to just fitting a specific character, rather than not being talented enough, I think would take some of the sting out. </p>
<p>But yeah, it might scare some kids away. However, that is what they are facing, and they may as well know that once they get out of the comparatively gentler world of college theater, the odds are really small. </p>
<p>Some people do not care what they have to endure to be in that life, because they cannot imagine themselves doing. anything. else. and in that case I don’t think the show would deter them.</p>
<p>It’s kind of a heartbreaking field to go into but for me, I think that it’s the kind of thing that only the individual can decide for themselves - is it worth it? </p>
<p>Of course I also think that if a kid wants to major in theater (MT or any other) and then go on after college to do something other than theater, that there are many things worse than a theater degree they could have so I am not inclined to talk a kid out of a theater degree. Even if it’s MT.
(now if they can’t carry a tune in a bucket but think they can I might have a little talk with him or her…gently…lol)</p>
<p>That post might have read wrong - I did not mean to imply anything insulting <em>blush</em> I do not put things the way they should be sometimes. Begging tolerance for a very newbie mom!</p>
<p>Saw it in the theatre, own a copy of the DVD, and dd had the opportunity to do her audition class for Broadway Artists Alliance last winter with Heather Parcells teaching Chorus Line choreography. (She was one of the dancers in the revival featured in the film. Didn’t get featured in the movie, but kiddo loved finding the glimpses of her on film!) Have loved Chorus Line since before I had a kid, much less a theatre kid, and really enjoyed this film!</p>
<p>It was happy/sad tears for me. Felt so happy for the kids who got it, felt so bad for the ones with the tearful phone calls to mom. But what a great look into the auditions for those like me who will never do that.</p>
<p>My D and I watched it and we got excited when we recognized that the studio where they held the auditions was the same as where she had her CMU auditions. That place will always be special to us!</p>
<p>I saw it in the theatre, too, but we rented it again after my son got cast in the new non-equity national tour of ACL (as Mike!). It’s so amazing when they actually do get cast! What was cool for us is that some of the same people that made the decisions on Broadway are involved in this current tour. The casting company is the same, and Byork (sp?) Lee is both the director and choreographer of this upcoming tour. It was really fun to watch her in action! They will be going to a city near you - 85 cities in 38 states!</p>
<p>They will probably be either in Dallas or Fort Worth which is where I usually to go catch the tours. I bet Chorus Line would be a good one to see on tour. We saw Wicked in Dallas and while it was simply wonderful, it just wasn’t the same as Broadway for me and that was entirely on account of the venue. (and seats…had producers circle seats in NYC, yes you may hate me lol - but only could score balcony seats in Dallas and for a show like Wicked it makes a difference being right up in all that action)</p>
<p>I am looking forward to seeing it now that I know who some of the cast members are, especially!</p>
<p>Film (Hollywood) just does not hold that one unique kind of excitement for d and myself that the stage does. Not that we would throw rocks at any producers who called us up or anything, but, it’s just so cool to see live entertainment.</p>
<p>ACL is coming to Bass Hall in Fort Worth March 29-April 3, 2011, according to a brochure I just got in the mail. Ericsmom, will this be your son’s tour?</p>
<p>Yes, Bass Hall in Ft. Worth 3/29 - 4/3 - Eric will be Mike in ACL! That’s a wonderful performing arts hall. We saw Grease there several years ago. Hope you all can make it! Their only other city in Texas is Tyler.</p>
<p>I am GOING!! I had already asked d if she wanted to see Legally Blond when it comes here (we have a nice theater here actually but only get these kinds of shows every couple years) and she did, but when I told her about ACL she said she’d MUCH RATHER see that!!</p>
<p>~we did see LB in Dallas last year and it was a lot of fun but we have never seen ACL live so we are SO going to go! I can’t wait, I know it’s going to be great, and Bass Hall is a great venue.</p>
<p>Wonder when the tix go on sale! Right now only subscribers can get them.</p>
<p>(though when we get there and d sees that we missed Spring Awakening I’m going to have to hear about it, and my d put the D in Drama. lol. Oh well. If we lived there I’d eat beans to have season tickets but we are kind of lucky to go see one or two shows a year.)</p>
<p>If you have a membership with Netflix it is on Instant Play. I just finished watching it (thank you insomnia) and it was brilliant. Documentaries should be made like that because it taught you something but also made you realize the process going on. </p>
<p>I kept looking at the girl who ended up getting Val and I couldn’t remember why she looked so familiar. I saw the revival and that was her. She has very distinctive looks and I remember her so wonderfully.</p>
<p>snapdragonfly - Glad you can go see ACL, and you’ll have to check with Bass Hall about when tickets go on sale. In the meantime, I do wish you could also go see Spring Awakening. My son has 4 very close friends from Elon who will be in that tour, including the people playing Mechoir and Ilse / Ilsa? (I may not be spelling these correctly). We are planning to drive 180 miles to see that show!</p>
<p>Where is Spring Awakening showing? (that’s kind of a rhetorical question, I haz googul skilz, ha) It was in Dal/FW already so I figure it’s not going to be close by but maybe it will be.</p>
<p>D would flip. She loves it. (it’s too sad for me really because I hate to think of what some of the characters in that show go through but it is a really amazing show.)</p>
<p><em>back from googleland</em> It’s at Bass Hall in November!! But only weeknights and she’ll be missing enough school this fall as it is with auditions and school visits which we simply can’t get all done this summer.</p>
<p>BUT. It’s in Fayetteville Thursday and Friday in November…Fayetteville is a five hour drive from here but maybe she could skip last hour. We’d have to spend the night and I don’t have relatives there to crash with. Hmmm.</p>
<p>I have never yet heard Fayetteville (UA) come up as a particularly special drama school and d has shown no interest in looking at it but if we are going to go up there we could perhaps look at it…no sense in wasting a trip. </p>
<p>Well, I’m going to keep thinking on this and how we can make it as d would just flip. The only other show she would want to see as bad would be In The Heights. (well, except for Wicked, but we’ve seen it twice <em>grin</em> and Phantom which we’ve seen once so they are off the list.)</p>
<p>I’ve already got our tickets for Spring Awakening that Friday night in Fayetteville! That’s our 180 mile drive each way. Let me know by e-mail if you decide to go then.</p>
<p>My older son went to college at UA. It’s not an MT school at all, but I’ve known of people who majored in dance, and they do offer regular theatre. OBU is the only school in Arkansas that offers MT as a major.</p>
Felt so happy for the kids who got it, felt so bad for the ones with the tearful phone calls to mom. 
But what a great look into the auditions for those like me who will never do that.</p>