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'Every Little Step'
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A Chorus Line has been a beloved stage production for some time now. So many who hope to become dancers, singers, performs admire the storyline and memorize the songs, dreaming of one day making it in show business. A new documentary, Every Little Step shows the struggle of trying to make it as a dancer and singer through the eyes of those hoping to be cast in a new revival of A Chorus Line.
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The film documents the arduous struggle for both the performers as well as the casting directors in trying to cast the right individuals in the right role. The film intermingles archive footage as well as an original taped interview session creator Michael Bennett had with some of his colleagues, which led to the conception of A Chorus Line. Much of the original material from the taped conversation made the final production. Bennett says on the tapes that he finds their stories interesting, and he believes there is a show in them. The show was eventually discovered, and A Chorus Line was conceived. The bounty of the film is the long tryout process with numerous call backs and an endless amount of indistinguishable faces.
The viewer is able to meet a few performers trying for respective parts while members of the original cast explain their characters, many autobiographical. Original performances are also shown, many times in contrast to the audition performances of the new performers. The comparison of the auditions and the original production shows a compelling contrast between the numerous performers, and it is a nice way to display how different actors make different choices. The initial tryouts for the revival are emotional, but it is hard to make attachments to the people auditioning. When the final call backs are made, and the viewer is able to intimately meet certain individuals that is when the viewer is able to harbor feelings of hope for specific performers. It is often hard to watch certain performances as the camera cuts back and forth from the casting table and the casting director's faces show their approval or lack of interest. It is also hard to hear the stories behind the various actors auditioning, realizing they have so much hope and so much to lose. It becomes very clear that each audition is one among thousands and for every one who makes it a hundred do not.
The film is a contradiction of sorts, showing the struggle to make and produce A Chorus Line, which is a film about dancers trying to make it in one of the hardest businesses around. It is a contradiction because the film is one part the immense struggle of the show as well as ferocious tryouts with constant letdowns, and actors not getting the part even if they "got to get it." The film is real, showing the truth behind a cutthroat, brutal industry. While nothing shown is aggressive or even that terrible, the reality of the business is expressed clearly, and the fact is so very obvious that there is only room for one lead, the rest can not make it. The film succeeds like any good reality show would, yes there are some good reality shows. The film is truthful, honestly showing the process of tryouts and most often times failures. There are some people who do make it, and for them the viewer feels relief, but for the rest of the performers a feeling of compassion is conjured simply by viewing the reality of the process.
Bennett is shown in interview and archive photography, and his passion for choreography is also expressed. Bennett's struggle to create A Chorus Line makes a nice dissonance to the exhaustion of the tryouts. Bennett worked hard, and the message seems to be if one works hard enough, with enough passion they will be a success in some manor. The film does a nice job of conveying the sentiment, highlighting a select few performers with the passion Bennett had. The film is not meant to discourage but to honestly show the immense work it takes to be a performer, it is more then magazine covers and scandal, it is dedication and drive.
Every Little Step is a film that attempts to demystify the stigma that is being a performer. So many people aspire to be onstage or in film, but many often lack the talent or passion it takes to get there. The film shows people who live and breath what they do, and still most fail. While the film has its positives, Bennett's story and the few who make it to opening night, it also truthfully shows the many who don't make it. The end result is the message that performers have to look in the mirror and like themselves because in show business everyone is going to tell any and every individual what is wrong with them. The world of performance is intense and raw, it is a constant battle, which the film honestly displays making for an effective documentary on a beloved classic.
To learn more about this film log on to: www.sonyclassics.com/everylittlestep/
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