Everhip

“5.6.7.8!”…. If you’ve ever wondered about what goes on behind the Broadway curtain or what it really takes to make it onto the stage as a performer, Every Little Step gives us an in-depth, unhindered look at the process of casting the most recent revival of A Chorus Line, while providing a fascinating look back at the development and history of one of Broadway’s most successful and beloved productions.

Everhip recently sat down with director/producer Jim Stern, director/producer Adam Del Deo, and actors Baayork Lee and Yuka Takara to discuss the release of this extremely compelling film.

Every Little Step immerses the viewer in the journey of performers “on the line”, past and present and thus unfolds a story of life imitating art just as in the original. A Chorus Line was originally created by choreographer/director Michael Bennett who gathered together a group of dancers, taped their stories, and then created the show out of those true stories. “When we first started we did not have a show, we did not know how to write a show. We were just dancers that were unemployed.” said Baayork Lee, the original “Connie”. “But everything I sing in the show, I said on the tape. So Michael didn’t have to edit anything.”

“Access to the audio tapes and stills (from the Bennett estate) really helped the narrative to stitch things together”, said Del Deo. “The most important thing for us was Bennett’s audio tapes that didn’t exist anywhere but a safety deposit box, and we knew that was going to be the spine of the movie”, added Stern.

Stern and Del Deo brought very little prior dance experience to the project other than Stern producing “Stomp” and Del Deo’s admission of  “doing the white man’s overbite dance at weddings”. “The thing we were looking for, for us, was how to make a documentary that did well by the dance,” said Stern.  Del Deo continued, “We had the chance to follow thousands of dancers in New York struggling, doing what they love, trying to get a job on Broadway and in A Chorus Line. And what Bennett had created more than 30 years before was this show which examined people’s lives struggling to get a job on Broadway. So what we had cinematically was this organic mirror of what we were going to be doing. Our process of following dancers was going to be mirroring off of what Michael Bennett had created thirty years before.”

“Baayork (also the Choreographer of the revival), Bob Avian (the original’s choreographer and director of the revival), Donna McKechnie (The original “Cassie”) and Marvin Hamlisch (Composer)…that was another thing that was organic and helped bridge the past and the present. To have Baayork at the original tape sessions creating the role of Connie, which she played herself, and now in the revival she’s casting herself and getting in this pretty good debate with everyone about who should be playing her and ultimately who she is. That kind of layering has a way of making the film more interesting.” Says Del Deo.

Another reason the film is so compelling is its unprecedented behind the scenes access to situations normally not seen by anyone but those who take part in the casting and auditioning process. “One of the things that was unique was the access that Equity, the Broadway actor’s union, allowed us. There’s this kind of dialogue going on between the creative team and the audience watching the film and those auditioning that lets the viewer in and get a sense of the auditioners and who you would cast,” said Del Deo. The filmmakers artfully employ powerful techniques to heighten the drama at times, like a split screen showing different people auditioning for the same role side-by-side, offering the viewer a unique opportunity to decide who they would cast in the role.

This film is the antithesis of today’s American Idol-style entertainment. This is the story of the long, hard, deliberate climb to success that actually requires talent and drive, rather than the right outfit and a crafty P.R. person. “These are kids who would rather give up a meal than give up a dance class…never making any money and knowing they could step off a curb, twist their ankle and it would be over for them,” said Stern.  “We were the first reality show…We are the mother of all that…They’re Johnny-come-lately-s”, added Baayork with a chuckle.  And Yuka agrees; “We’re not just going in there to see how we do or see if they like my look. We’re going in there to seriously go after the role and get the job.” Yuka, who tells us in the film that her unemployment payments are about to run out reminds us that most of time, they also need the job to survive. 

Much of the drama in the film comes from the dancer’s own stories. There’s the journey of the ingénue from New Jersey auditioning for her first Broadway show, the seasoned vet who seems to have her role in the bag until an equally talented rival has a breakthrough audition, and an incredibly talented dancer whose ego may be his undoing.

If you’re already a fan of A Chorus Line, you’ll be pleased to know that the casting of the characters “Paul”, “Sheila”, “Connie” and “Cassie” are all followed closely in the film. Everyone in contention for those roles allowed themselves to be filmed, a brave move for those who didn’t end up getting the part (and there were many recognizable faces who didn’t).

Over 3000 dancers auditioned and 2980 didn’t get cast. After watching the journey of the casting process, and seeing the level of talent and dedication by everyone auditioning, it’s hard not to wish that all the finalists could get the part. In one touching scene, the two finalists for the role of Connie say to each other, “We’ll be happy whoever gets the part” and you realize that you the viewer, feel the same way.

The documentary fittingly and dramatically ends at the show’s opening night. We think, and we’re betting you’ll agree, that as the musical’s signature song says, Every Little Step is “one singular sensation!”