'A Chorus Line' starts next week at the River Campus

"A Chorus Line" will dance across the River Campus stage next week.

The Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University will present the musical about an audition to be a chorus member for an unnamed Broadway musical.

The show's roles include the director, his assistant and 17 cast members who are "auditioning" to fill the proposed musical's eight parts, all of which demand an array of performance skills.

"'A Chorus Line' was chosen because there's 20 excellent roles," said director Michael McIntosh, who also is an assistant professor of musical theater, directing and acting at Southeast. "Everybody in it has to act and sing and dance, so it's real challenging, and it's a wonderful opportunity for our students, and they are doing great and bringing a lot to the table."

Although the show is limited to a single set throughout, McIntosh said the content is dynamic and includes dramatic tension as the characters reveal more information about themselves as the show goes on.

The Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University students rehearse for 'A Chorus Line' inside the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus.BEN MATTHEWS

"Everyone's vying for the same role, and it's at a time when Broadway was becoming more economical, so all these dancers also have to act and sing, and it's something that they've never been asked to do before, so it's exciting; it's high-stakes," McIntosh said.

Jacquelyn Kiefner, a junior at Southeast, will play the part of Cassie Ferguson, a character she said is one of the more experienced dancers at the audition and has a past with the director.

Kiefner described the part as a "dream role" because of the character's challenging nature and development in certain scenes, especially one in which she transitions from speaking to singing to dancing to get her point across.

"The song is just incredible, and the choreography for the dance has been really challenging, but also I've been able to make it my own, and I think that's what makes it so special for me, is being able to play and really get into the character in that way as far as the dance is concerned," she said.

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McIntosh said the show is one that will be relatable to a number of audience members.

"It's just an emotionally powerful story about real people," he said. "And I think we've all been at some sort of audition in our lives, whether it's a job interview or asking somebody out on a date. I think it's something that everybody can relate to."

Above all else, Kiefner said she enjoys being part of performances at the River Campus because they provide a platform for students such as herself to present their work and the varying ideas of the chosen productions to the community.

"You get to share something with the community because you always want to see how the community is going to respond to something, and you get to have that moment with them and kind of present them a different way of looking at things," Kiefner said.

Students also have been assisted and coached throughout the musical's production by dance instructor Michelle Contrino, musical-theater instructor Josh Harvey and vocal director Judith Farris.

"A Chorus Line" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Oct. 1 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus, 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. Tickets for the shows will be $19.50 or $22.50 and may be purchased at the River Campus box office, online at rivercampus.org/tickets or by calling (573) 651-2265.

The musical includes a number of adult themes and explicit language that may be unsuitable for young children.

lyoung@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.