Liars and Saints

 My favorite moment in "A Chorus Line" is "At the Ballet," a series of stories about domestic folly. One woman recalls her parents. A young lady--twenty-two--is informed by an older man, "I'm your last chance." The marriage occurs--and, soon enough, Wife is digging mysterious earrings out of the backseat of Husband's car. The earrings are a red flag. "It wasn't something you'd want to discuss." Another woman recalls learning about subtext. "Mom would tell me I was different, with a personal flair. Different is nice, but it sure isn't pretty...." The third story is.the major punch-to-your-gut. "When I was born, Dad said,  I thought this would help our marriage, but I guess I was wrong. " These brutal stories are paired with a soaring, recurring memory of ballet class. I like the details in the chorus: the disembodied voice of the teacher, like a metronome; the steep and very narrow stairway; the girls in whi...

As a creator, Michael Bennett was drawn to the sadism in the entertainment industry. You see this theme in both "A Chorus Line" and "Dreamgirls." "A Chorus Line": A chilly, male director torments his ex-girlfriend. Uncomfortable with whatever emotions he is feeling, Zach chooses to hound Cassie: A kick is too high, a shoulder "pops" too soon. There's subtext: Zach is hiding behind the guise of a demanding casting director, but really he is playing mind games with Cassie. There's a "MeToo" aura in the scene, especially notable because the real harassment is just under the surface. The sadism in "Dreamgirls" is equally unnerving. I'm thinking of Effie's big breakdown. You don't get a chance to scrape Effie off the pavement; she's still convulsing downstage when the other girls re-appropriate her collapse; they take her words and turn them into a slick pop tune. The heartlessness of the music industry:...