YMTC to Stage "A Chorus Line," Feb. 24 to Mar. 4, in El Cerrito

No fan of musical theater should miss the upcoming presentation of A Chorus Line by Youth Musical Theater Company (YMTC). This iconic musical won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama—all in one year. As in past YMTC productions, the talented cast, live music, and excellent sound, scenery, and lighting will please the most discriminating audiences.

Set on a bare stage during an audition for a Broadway show, A Chorus Line provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers as they describe the events that shaped their decisions to become dancers. This production combines music, dance, drama, competition, and a celebration of the American musical for a moving theater experience.

The music of A Chorus Line was written by Marvin Hamlisch, the lyrics by Edward Kleban, and the book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante. The show features a cast of 29 performing arts students (ages 13 to 21) from cities throughout the Bay Area. They are led by a team of professional directors, designers, and musicians, including Director Jennifer Boesing, Music Director David Möschler, and Choreographer Janet Collard. The production will feature a 17-piece orchestra playing the original arrangements of Jonathan Tunick and Hershy Kay.

“People forget that A Chorus Line isn’t just a play about dance,” says Director Boesing. “It’s a play about people following their dreams, striving for something that feels big, important, and against all odds. My hope is that this production, done at this time, will not be just a diversion but an inspiration for everyone.”

A Chorus Line opens Saturday, February 24. Performances run for two weekends at El Cerrito High School Performing Arts Theater, 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito. The run consists of three 2:00 p.m. matinees (2/25, 3/3, 3/4) and three 8:00 p.m. performances (2/24, 3/2, 3/3). Music Director Möschler will give pre-show lectures in the lobby on “The Music and the Mirror—Kleban and Hamlisch’s Legacy of A Chorus Line,” on Saturday, 3/3, at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, 3/4, at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets are available online at www.ymtcbayarea.org or at the door one hour before curtain. Ticket prices are $15–$28, with discounts for students, seniors, military, teachers, and groups. YMTC offers one “pay what you will” performance to provide affordable musical theater to all in the community. This performance will be on Friday, 3/2, when seats will be offered for cash-only at the box office. Reserved seats can still be purchased online. A Chorus Line contains some mature language and subject matter, and is not recommended for young children.

ABOUT YMTC

YMTC is dedicated to providing exceptional training to young theater artists through the production of exceptional musical theater. The organization brings together the Bay Area’s most talented and dedicated young singer/actors—as well as students of technical theater—with professional directors, designers, and musicians. They take on challenging and sophisticated musical and dramatic themes, and productions are always accompanied by a full, live orchestra.