Ryan McNeil
A funny thing happened on the way to EVERY LITTLE STEP, the doc about the revival of the 1970’s Broadway hit A Chorus Line. As the filmmakers set out to show what went into creating the musical, and detailed the casting and creation of the revival, they managed to tell the story of struggling to succeed all over again.
In 2006, the announcement of the revival drew over three thousand auditionees to chase their dreams of being Val, Mark or Cassie on a Broadway stage. That’s 3000 hopefuls for 17 parts – do the math. As life begins to imitate art, we learn more and more about the nuanced of the show. We see what makes it work, and what doesn’t. Likewise, by seeing the auditions progress, we can see what the directors see in what sets one performer apart from another.
There are tear-jerking moments of honesty, chest-thumping deceptions of cockiness, hearts broken, and dreams come true. The hopefuls inspire as they work against staggering odds to chase their dream. Even more remarkable, is the fact that unlike every popular reality show – there are no “villains” in this batch of potentials. They come from all walks of life, with different approaches and different stakes, but deep down the audience wants every one of them to succeed.
While this story will inevitably appeal to the Broadway fan more than the average movie-goer, it does a lot to reach out to a new audience. It speaks to those who have ever not been “good enough”, and gives a smiling face to the hundreds of faceless hopefuls who have given Broadway their best shot. Well edited, and well directed, I recommend seeing this movie…to see these passionate hopefuls and what they do for love