Young Millburn Residents Will Get Their Kicks In 'A Chorus Line'

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — How would you like to be rated "Dance: 10, Looks: 3," when you audition for a a peformance? Well, no one said show business was easy.

The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "A Chorus Line" — with famous numbers such as "What I Did For Love," "One," and "At The Ballet" — will be performed Dec. 9 and 10 at the Burgdorff Cultural Center in Maplewood. It features several young North Jersey performers, listed below.

Front & Center for Performing Arts presents the show, which follows of a group of dancers as they audition for coveted spots in a Broadway performance. Among their stories is the classic "Dance 10, Looks 3," told in song.

The production features students and young performers from New Jersey towns including Berkeley Heights, Millburn/Short Hills, Scotch Plains, South Orange, Springfield, Summit, Union, and Westfield.

Renee Celeste-Lira, the director of the production, said, " 'A Chorus Line’ was one of the reasons I fell in love with musical theatre. It was the first show I ever saw on Broadway as a child. I wore out the cast album on my brown and orange Fisher Price record player, performing my one-woman Chorus Line in my basement for years following that."

She added, "This chance to pass on the tradition of ‘A Chorus Line’ to the next generation is the ultimate joy. There's no better legacy than that of sharing these classic musical theatre stories."

See the show Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m., or Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Tickets are $35 general admission, $15 for high school and college students with ID. Tickets can be purchased at: https://achoruslinetkts.square.site/.

Local Performers:

Berkeley Heights

Gregory Pedicini

Nala van den Berg

Millburn/Short Hills

Danielle Gordon, Jordyn Gulliford, Dylan Hammer, Annie Lischer, Katie Seifer, Jessica Sherman

Scotch Plains

Jacob Morrell

South Orange

Lanah Differt, Sienna Kroll

Springfield

Madeline Bobish, Caycie Clarke, Sophia Conlon, Celeste Palermo, Lucas Palermo, Grace Rivera

Summit

Quinn Kubeck

Union

Elyana Barroqueiro, Bella Pina

Westfield

Ethan Roosevelt

West Milford

Soren Schwerner

NYC

Richel Ruiz

In its 21st year, Front & Center "offers individuals of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to grow and develop artistically and personally in a nurturing environment," they said. Visit www.front-n-center.com for more information.