This is the last 25 minutes of the benefit concert for Fran Liebergall, the original rehearsal pianist and Musical Supervisor of “A Chorus Line” and many other shows, back in 2010. It was shot as a favor to Fran, though not under the best conditions. Shot from a seat in the audience, with discretion, but without a tripod, it is more than a little jumpy, especially when zooming to the closeups. Also please forgive a few typos, as these are usually done late at night after a long day’s editing. The water mark is the most egregious error, but, I thought that Fran, and her fund-raising for her health, is much more important than professional vanity. See the link at bottom of this text to support Fran in her battle living with MS. Here is Kelly Bishop recreating her role of Sheila in A Chorus Line 35 years later - looking like a million and totallly nailing it. Ditto Carole Schweid, the original understudy for the role of Bebe, in a rare opportunity to see her knocking them dead as “the other Bebe” and making the role her own; and Christina Saffran Ashford, one of the Maggie replacements over the years on Broadway, filling in for Kay Cole like a trouper, and looking gorgeous - as the three go up that “steep and very narrow stairway” one more time "At the Ballet" . . . Also, back to shake up the house is the original “Richie," Ron Dennis, and his “Gimme the Ball,” which he improvised at rehearsal over 40 years ago and which became part of the legendary score, albeit without credit to Ron. It is almost impossible to believe that Ron is 3 1/2 decades older when watching him with “the kids” in the show. Bravo Ron! Donna McKechnie, the original “Cassie” treats the audience to “Inside the Music,” a little-known early, different version of “The Music and the Mirror.” Then, of course, she wipes decades away as she recreates that seminal number breathtakingly. Looking lithe, lean, elegant and closer to 40 than 70, she whips the audience into a frenzy, before breaking into a tab version of the dance and ending in that iconic pose. Robert LuPone, the original “Zach,” comes onstage to bring out the original cast members, Sammy Williams (original “Paul"), Ron, Kelly, Donna, Don Pippin (original Musical Director) and Priscilla Lopez (original “Diana”). Then the stage and the aisles fill with young dancers, recruited by the original inspiration for the character “Val,” Mitzi Hamilton - who also created the role in London, and currently directs productions of ACL world-wide, - to incite madness by recreating “ONE” onstage and in the aisles. The beloved Fran Liebergall, the original Musical Supervisor, is brought onstage to a thundering ovation, then Priscilla winds up the time machine again and sings “What I Did for Love,” looking and singing almost identically to the girl who made history with this song 35 years before. The rest of the original cast, the young Mitzi dancers, and much of the audience, join in for the final verse as Fran beams and subconsciously continues to conduct with her right hand from her wheel chair as the night comes to a close. Thanks must be given to the producers of the event, Murphy Cross, Paul Kreppel and Bonnie Kole, to benefit Fran Liebergall, who has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for many years. Please click the link below to help Fran fight Multiple Sclerosis and to help fund her round-the-clock nursing care! http://www.gofundme.com/oq1d7c?fb_action_ids=992506557435728&fb;_action_types=og.shares&fb;_ref=undefined

• published: 17 Mar 2015
• views: 16