A Chorus Line

Audition Pieces & Character Descriptions

A Chorus Line opened in 1975 and was an unprecedented box office success winning 9 Tony
Awards and the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (one of the few Musicals to ever receive this
honour). With over 6,137 performances it became the longest running Production in
Broadway history at the time.
The story is taken from a book by James Kirkwood Jnr and Nicholas Dante and centres on a
chorus audition for a Broadway musical. Director- Zach & his Choreographer -Larry are
putting the dancers through their paces. Every dancers needs the work and is desperate to be
chosen. After the first recall, 17 dancers are chosen but only 8 will be needed. They are told
that Zach wants to learn more about their individual personalities and what inspired them to
become dancers. They are made to introduce themselves and reluctantly they each reveal
their pasts. Through early life experiences progressing to adulthood they bare their souls and
often have to relive painful memories.
By the end of the show we can identify and empathise with all the individual characters. We
feel we know each and every one of them by their heartfelt, honest speeches.
However, during the finale One, these characters replace their eclectic and very personal
mis of rehearsal clothes with identical gold sparkly tailcoats and top hats as each dancer joins
the troupe, it is difficult to distinguish one from the other. Ironically each character, who has
previously been an individual to the audience, becomes an anonymous member of the chorus!

PRINCIPALS ZACH (The shows Director)

Very bussiness like - a perfectionist, harsh, wants to show the chorus line that he is incharge.
Wants to instil a bit of fear so that he commands respect. - Non Singing
- Dialogue... Page 85-88
- You will also be required to speak a bit of the opening to
check you can stay in time!!!! Opening bars 1-29
LARRY (The shows Choreographer)
Sleek and to the point, great DANCER. Wants to help Zach to cast the best dancers.
- Non Singing
ALAN DELUCA
From the Bronx. Very straight. Street tough, macho, only been married a short while (to
Kristine)
- Dialogue... Page 34 - 36
- Song... Sing! bars 12-58
BEBE BENZENHEIMER
From Boston. Very insecure about her looks, very funny which is a cover for her insecurities.
Feels a little excluded but just wants to be liked. (A young Barbara Striesand)
- Dialogue... her tiny introduction on Page 15
- Song... At The Ballet bars 50-84B
BOBBY MILLS

Flamboyant, funny, bitchy and witty. Very sharp tounged. Covers everything over with a joke,
had a very hard childhood. From up state New York.
- Dialogue... Page 22-26 (cutting out song) - Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44
CASSIE FERGUSON
Older Dancer. Returning to the chorus after years of being a featured performer.(This takes a
lot of courage) Fantastic dancer. Shy & kind hearted. Previously had a relationship with Zach.
- Dialogue... Page 85-88
- Song... Music & The Mirror bars 186-208
CONNIE WONG
Experienced dancer. SHORT. Very experienced dancer. Other girls look up to her to see how
its done. Married. A bit of a mother hen with a great sense of humour. Born in Chinatown,
Lower East Side, New York.
- Dialogue... Page 41 & 43 (cutting out song)
- Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44
DIANA MORALES
Streetwise, a little bit tough, eternal optimist and starry eyed. A determined athletic dancer
from the Bronx.
- Dialogue... Page 44 INTO Song... Nothing bars 71-End AND What I Did For Love
bars 34-64
DON KERR
Ladies man, married, into cars, money & women. Hedonist, cool, flirts with Maggie, very
sure of himself. All American guy, Cocky, worked with Zach before. From Kansas City.
- Dialogue... Page 46-48 (cutting out song)
- Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44
GREGORY GARDENER
Over sexed, over drugged, done it all before. Gay. Very concious of how he looks and appears
to others. Quite a smart-alec and has worked with Zach before. Very East Side, New York.
- Dialogue... Page 51-52 (?speak his sung lines)
- Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44
JUDY TURNER
Funny, gawky, nervous, scatterbrain. Warm & hopeful. Very awkward except when dancing.
- Dialogue... Page 50 Speak the sung lines! - Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44
KRISTINE URICH
Wide-eyed, naive. Very nervous when not dancing. From St Louis, Missouri.
- Dialogue... Page 34-36
- Song... Sing! bars 12-58
(Note for song: Sing! is 99% spoken and the bits that are sung have to be PAINFUL!)
MAGGIE WINSLOW
A sweetheart, little sister type, dreamer. Fairly experienced dancer from California.
- Dialogue... Page 33
- Song... At The Ballet bars 121-145
(Note for song- we are looking for someone who can sustain the top note with great strength
& tone!)
MARK ANTHONY
Optimistic, first timer, naive but charming. Great dancer and All American Kid. Hopeful &
fresh, obsessed with sex. Very young from Arizona.
- Dialogue... Page 39-41
- Song... One (Bows) bars 13-44

MIKE COSTA
Quite aggressive, determined, cocky, sure of himself BUT likeable. Great dancer, has worked
with Zach before. Experienced and flirts with the girls. From New Jersey.
- Dialogue... Page 20-22 INTO Song... I Can Do That bars 1-50
PAUL SAN MARCO
Introverted and slightly insecure but loves performing - is only now starting to feel
comfortable about being gay and accepted by his parents. From Spanish Harlem up from
New York. Friends with Diana.
- Dialogue... Page 69-73
- Song... Opening bars 373-end
RICHIE WALTERS
From Missouri. All American Black dude, enthusiastic, cool & funny. Very likeable and laid
back.
- Dialogue... Page 98-99
- Song... Montage Part 4' bars 229-270
SHEILA BRYANT
Oldest Dancer! Brassy, sexy, bitchy & sophisticated. One o the more popular dancers, very
funny. Ex Las Vegas showgirl from Colorado.
- Dialogue... Page 27-30 INTO Song... At The Ballet bars 1-48
VALERIE CLARK
Sexy, sassy, funny & foul-mouthed. A brazen, direct, attention seeker from Vermont.
- Dialogue... Page 59-60 INTO Song Dance 10; Looks 3' bars 171-end
.....................................................................................................................................................
We also require CUT DANCERS who will double up as WING SINGERS!!
- They will appear in the Opening and Finale (One) and will sing in the wings for the rest of
the show.
- There are few little characters who will have lines of dialogue or lines to sing in the opening
section. (See below)
VICKI - Sexy, Californian Blonde
BUTCH - Hard Faced - does not listen to corrections
TRISHA - College leaver, young & fresh faced
TOM - Doesnt speak but mouths the dance moves!
LOIS - Ballerina - Dances the Jazz Combination like a ballerina
FRANK - Headband Boy - Looks at his feet whilst dancing
ROY - Wrong armed - awkward
as well as many others!!!!!!!!!
You will be required to take part in the dance audition (although DONT WORRY...
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A GREAT DANCER!!!!) and you will be expected to sing
One (Bows) bars 13-44