College of Lake County's 'A Chorus Line' Features Local Cast, Sells Out Opening Night

If you didn't get a ticket for the sold-out opening night of "A Chorus Line" at the College of Lake County on Friday, you can still catch performances throughout this month.

The popular Broadway musical is being presented by CLC's theatre, music and dance departments, in the Studio Theatre at 19351 W. Washington St., in Grayslake.

Though Friday's performance is sold out, tickets are available for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 20 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21. Tickets are also on sale for 7:30 p.m. July 25-27, and at 2 p.m. July 28.

Tickets are $16 or $13 for CLC students, seniors and JLC subscribers. There is a buy one, get one free ticket offer for July 25. The Box Office is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 90 minutes prior to each performance. For more information, call (847) 543-2300 or visit www.clcillinois.edu.

Bob Fosse Style

"A Chorus Line," which features music by Marvin Hamlisch, tells the story of the ambitions of professional Broadway performers as they try to land a job in a show.

The CLC production staff includes Ron Arden as vocal music director, Valerie Alpert as choreographer, Paul Hefner as orchestra director and Thomas B. Mitchell as director.

Mitchell said he always wanted to direct this popular musical, but to make it more current, he updated some of the 1970s references so that young audiences can relate to it better. The choreography will be a little jazzier than normally seen in other productions, with "a more Bob Fosse-style movements," he said.

A minimalistic set will be used, and since the show is being produced in the Studio Theatre’s thrust stage instead of a proscenium theatre, it will allow the actors to have a more intimate connection with the audience, said Mitchell. The actors will enter and exit through the aisles and treat the space as an empty theatre being used for rehearsals. 

The show’s memorable musical numbers include: "I Can Do That;" "At the Ballet;" "What I Did for Love;" and "One" (Singular Sensation), among others. 

Local Cast:

John Stergiou (Gurnee) as Zach

Kevin Farmer (Round Lake) as Larry

Jeff Wright (Lake Villa) as Paul

Martin Benion (Green Oaks) as Richie

Daniel Conway (Mundelein) as Al

J.T. Snyder (Barrington) as Mike

Josh Pennington (Grayslake) as Greg

Cameron Fleck (Glenview) as Bobbie

Stefano Egleston (Inverness) as Don

Quinn Kelch (Barrington) as Mark

Paul Roeckell (Tower Lakes) as Roy

Cassie Austin (Libertyville) as Cassie

Ashley Rodriquez (Hainesville) as Sheila

Alex Guhde (Barrington) as Diana

Jazmine Tamayo (Antioch) as Connie

Ali Lidbury (Barrington) as Val

Catherine Athenson (Lake Forest) as Kristine

Lauren Sagendorph (Grayslake) as Judy

Becca Silbar (Vernon Hills) as Maggie

Savannah Thomas (Winthrop Harbor) as Bebe

Hannah Shepherd (Antioch) as Vicki

Emilia Dvorak (Long Grove) as Lois

Bracha Klein (Highwood) as Tricia