A Chorus Line

As a former Director of the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre I am always interested in what happens there. So Popera is a relatively new kid on the block for me although the program notes tell me that the group in its current form has been around for about ten years.

I am aware of the reputation the group has achieved so I was pleased to be able to see first hand one of their productions. SoPopera is the lovechild of the Copeland Family, and this production mentions four members playing key production roles. They obviously work well together in bringing this music theatre masterpiece to the stage in a very polished manner.

For me, the star of A Chorus Line is the choreography, and this is the case with the SoPopera production. The choreography created by Teagan McKeen, assisted by Dane Sanderson, takes us on an interesting and informative journey, complementing the excellent direction by Amy Copeland.

Good choreography only works if you have competent dancers, and this is the case with this production. Of course there are always varying degrees of excellence with dancers in any community theatre production, but with clever placement within the routines, everybody shone. For me, the outstanding dancers for the night were Ryan Morgan as Larry, and Catrina Ralph as Cassie.

A Chorus Line is an ensemble piece about ensemble wannabees. The combined work of this ensemble was cohesive and believable, with each character being convincing in his or her right.

The work itself provides a wealth of opportunity for individual performers, and the cast selected for this production was spot in in look, style, and capability of each performer.

As the Director Zach, John Michael Burdon  gave a polished performance, seeking the truth from his auditionees, pushing, cajoling and extracting exactly what was necessary for the cast to become real people. Scenes with Cassie were well controlled without becoming melodramatic.

Of course the structure of A Chorus Line provides a couple of opportunities for outstanding performances.  For me, Kristie Beedie shone as Val - “Dance Ten, Looks Three”. Then there was Jayden Sierra as Paul. His story was beautifully told. In mentioning these two performers I hasten to add that I enjoyed each character.

A simple set of blacks, lights and a big mirror provided exactly the right atmosphere, and non showbiz folk would have no trouble in understanding exactly where we were.

Musically the show was first class, with good voices accompanied by a first class orchestra under the baton of Peter Copeland.

There has always been a wealth of fine performers in the Illawarra, and the cast of A Chorus Line demonstrates just that.

As a reviewer I am obliged to comment on what I see and hear at a show. Sadly, no doubt due to insufficient tech rehearsal time, there were moments when sound reinforcement became a problem, with missed cues and crackly mics. I felt very sorry for Val in her big number. I can only hope that the sound problems have been fixed by now.

Innovative lighting enhanced the production, however the use of blinders on the audience from time to time became very distracting, drawing focus on the solo performer. I am a great supporter of modern techniques, but not when a performance suffers.

Those are tiny points in the scheme of things.  The creative team and performers should be very proud of this production. It’s certainly worth the trip to Wollongong to catch this show. There are good restaurants at and around the centre, and free parking, so it’s worth the effort.

Bob Peet