A Chorus Line: Teen Edition Comes to Lorton in Early May!

Lorton VA - April 21, 2025; By SCHS student Jerry Brown - The South County High School (SCHS) Theatre Department is revamping the classic 1970's musical A Chorus Line: Teen Edition. But this time, it's set in the early 2000's, with vibrant colors and creative staging to give you a performance never before seen on stage. This Broadway classic tells the story of 17 professional dancers auditioning for a spot in the dancing chorus of an upcoming musical. Each dancer has their own story to tell, sharing with the group why they started dancing and how it led them to where they are in the form of mesmerizing song and dance. They share their authentic experiences of being professional Broadway dancers, auditioning non-stop, while seeing their friends get cut left and right until the final decision is made, and only the lucky few end up booking the job. Who will make it? That's up to the director to decide.

South County is known for their outstanding musicals. Last year, their spring musical Singin’ in the Rain was nominated for the Brandon Victor Dixon awards for Best Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Technical Theatre. The entire cast got the chance to perform their closing number on the stage of the National Theatre in Washington, DC, a once in a lifetime opportunity. This year, they are being directed by a new face: Jewel Schrader Orem, or more commonly known as “Schrader” to her students. The department has had the opportunity to work with her for their fall production of The 39 Steps, which received rave reviews from the community. When asked about A Chorus Line, Schrader said, “I have always loved this show, and I could not be more proud to direct it for some of the most talented students I have seen. It has been an honor to watch these students grow as actors in the short time I've been with them.”

As stated before, this production is determined to be like no other. One way they are planning on making it their own is with their application of stage lighting. Designed by William Waugh, a sophomore at South County, whose usage of colorful LEDs and cleverly placed overheads, as seen in the promotional photos, is one of a kind. Schrader remarked that “While I was skeptical at first, allowing a student this much control over something as important as the lighting onstage, I could not have made a better decision. William’s ideas are genius, and will surely benefit this production.”
We must also mention the amazing work of AJ Rodriguez and Kendall Huheey. AJ, or more commonly known as “Rod”, is the current choir teacher at South County. Rod has previously been the music director many other shows at South County including Mamma Mia!, The Lightning Thief, and most recently, Singin’ in the Rain. As opposed to AJ, Kendall is the choreographer for the show and is working with South County for the first time. With the help of student choreographers Lillian Bottlick and Victoria Eller, they are using dance to portray the stress, excitement, and fear that come with professional auditions.

Who will make the final cut? Find out on May 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th (senior night) at 7 pm, or on May 3rd at 2 pm at South County on 8501 Silverbrook Road in Lorton. Tickets are live now at schstheatre.com, or you can purchase them at the door. Don't miss your chance to be pulled into the lives of these Broadway dancers in a one-of-a-kind approach to the Broadway classic.