gregking4 In 1974 Broadway director and choreographer Michael Bennett sat down with a group of dancers and interviewed them in intimate detail about their lives, careers and aspirations. The transcripts of that 12-hour session became the basis for Bennett's extravagant new musical A Chorus Line which explored the passions, dedication, determination and personal stories of dancers keen to tread the boards on Broadway. The show scooped the pool at the 1976 Tony Awards, winning nine Tonys, went on to become a Broadway phenomenon and the longest running American musical in history. In 2006 Bennett's assistant director Bob Avian staged a revival. This superb fly on the wall documentary follows the gruelling casting process from the original call-out, through to the final selection. There are 17 roles to cast, and the producers are locked in to very specific casting choices because of the nature of the show and the characters. Ironically, art imitates life here as this documentary is about a group of dancers auditioning for a show about a group of actors auditioning for a role in a musical. Many do not make the cut, and those who are called back for further auditions are not guaranteed success. In an era when vapid reality TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, Australian Idol, and their ilk, have made the auditioning process a forum for cruel put downs and the sarcastic wit of a panel of judges, Every Little Step is refreshingly upbeat, honest and positive. While we experience the elation of those dancers who are successful, we thankfully do not dwell too long on the tears and disappointments of those hopeful stars who, for one reason or another, are unsuccessful. In one extraordinary scene, Jason Tan's heart wrenching monologue for the key role of Paul, the drag queen, reduces theatre veteran Avian to tears. Co-directors James D Stern and Adam Del Deo have been granted unprecedented access to Bennett's original tape recordings, and this gives a deeper understanding about the show's genesis and what it is trying to do. The filmmakers, who have extensive experience in the theatre world themselves, juxtapose archival footage taken during the auditions for the original production with many of the hopefuls auditioning for this revival. There are fascinating and insightful interviews with Avian, as well as stars of the original production in Tony award winner Donna McKechnie, and the very demanding Baayork Lee, who played Connie and who is now choreographing the revival. An exhilarating insight into the world of musical theatre, Every Little Step is almost mandatory viewing for anyone with aspirations for pursuing a career on stage.

Chad Shiira A documentary captures real life, but real life is altered when the subject is aware that he/or she is being filmed.Not for nothing, "A Chorus Line" is a permanent fixture in the American musical theater. Every performer who ever dreamed about New York loves Michael Bennett's singular sensation unconditionally. It flatters them. The 1975 musical tells the story of their lives, their struggle. Words by Edward Kleban and music by Marvin Hamlisch, "A Chorus Line" epitomizes the performer's belief that singing and dancing constitute a religion, so when it comes to churches, the bigger the better. And it gets no bigger than Broadway. "Every Little Step" gives the moviegoer a privileged look at the rarefied world of showbiz people, the weirdos who unite in their love for the bright lights. On a snowy day outside the Schubert Theater, thousands of hopeful dancers line up for open call auditions, and almost miraculously, so are we. More so than any other revival, the 2006 version of "A Chorus Line" required men and women with humility; men and women with big feet, after all they had big shoes to fill. But big heads? No. Bob Avian won't tolerate any prima donna behavior from his dancers.Competing for the part of Sheila, the sexy but aging dancer(played by Kelly Bishop in the original production), are Deidre Goodwyn and another woman, whose lack of humility takes her out of the running. Heading into final callbacks, it was the woman's part to lose, but due to an unfavorable last impression during her final audition, she opened up the competition. Out of generosity, Avian offers direction and advice to the chorus line candidate in private, giving her every opportunity to replicate the performance she gave four months prior. Instead of accepting this second chance with elegance and appreciation, this dancer goes into full diva mode and acts contentiously(in voiceovers) towards Avian, who was only trying to help her win the part. Tell it to the mountain, the moviegoer thinks, as she goes on about her broken relationship; this is "A Chorus Line", not "American Idol"; this is the choreographer from the original Broadway production, not Ryan Seacrest. "Every Little Step" is at its most immediate when a colleague tells Avian that the woman wants a decision on her fate right then and there, thus sealing her fate and losing her part to a less talented performer. With the cameras rolling, the woman loses what little leeway she had, since nobody wants to look weak when served an ultimatum. If Avian wasn't provoked and had time to mull things over, she might have gotten the part. Everybody in this business has huge egos, but for those without any clout, asserting that huge ego against those who do, amounts to suicide.Baewok Lee, the original Connie, is one of those people, and she has an ego which easily transcends her petite frame. Because Lee lacks humility , she's the last person on the committee to realize that Yuka Takara was tailor-made for the part of the undersized Asian dancer with spunk and gumption. Her philosophy on casting seems antithetical towards the creative process in regard to the interpretation of old material, which is to make it new again, when the old pro insists that she doesn't see herself in Takara. She nitpicks over Takara's accent and non-American origins(Takara was born in Okinawa), qualities that make her perfect for the part, because it updates the musical by reflecting on a different era that's even more inclusive to a wider breadth of people. Electicism is the heart of "A Chorus Line", and Lee's isolationist stance goes against the spirit of this hallowed musical. With the cameras rolling, her comments work as exposition, which means she's playing for the cameras, since her colleagues already know what her part was in the original production. The moviegoer learns that Lee was Connie when she expresses a desire to cast the part herself.

cheryllynecox-1 While "Every Little Step" is hardly cinema verite, it certainly seems to be a credible effort to document the Broadway process--from the first cattle call audition to the final call-back 8 months later. In between the filmmaker interviews old players from "A Chorus Line"'s impressive legacy and culls bits from the original tape archives that established the framework of the '75 classic as well as the Broadway revival.Whenever innocence and passion are combined, something sublime occurs. I suppose that is why I wept through much of "Every Little Step". I was definitely rooting for several performers, and remember how (in a former life)disappointing it can be when you're the last to be cut or the first to be forgotten.

mr_ashyash I have to admit, I'm a sucker for these types of documentaries. It weaves the story of how "A Chorus Line" was created (back in the mid-1970's) with the audition process for the 2006 Broadway revival. When I first saw the musical, a long time ago, I was young and didn't realize that the stories of each character were based on the real life stories of dancers. This film focuses on those stories, and how the current (2006) auditionees (is that a word?) are able (or not able) to convey those characters. In all honesty, I would have liked to hear more about the personal lives of the current auditionees. However, you do get some feeling about their backgrounds and their ambitions, and it's always awesome to see professional performers dance and sing without the lights and glitz of an actual performance. If you're a fan of musicals, this is a definite must see. However, if you're a fan of seeing passionate people strive for greatness, even if you're not a musical buff, I highly recommend it.