Movie review part deux: Every Little Step

by John Garcia of John Garcia's The Column

"I think you're all special. And I think we have something here to make it into a show." - Michael Bennett at the first tape session that would go on to become A Chorus Line.

The documentary is an eclectic genre in the art of celluloid. Why? First off most are distributed by independent film studios on limited budgets. If they are released by a major studio, most don't have the humongous press campaigns that a regular release would be blessed with.

But more so it is its subject matter. It tends to be one major theme or story that the documentary will focus on. Now take into account that you hope that this major theme has universal appeal and interest from the mass public. But how will they know without a mammoth publicity machine hitting its audience like a tidal wave?

Today's market is flooded with documentaries that have a multitudinous array of topics. So many are thrown against the silver screen now, each hoping it will stick and find its audience.

But it takes that novel documentary with a very special central theme that can stand out from the pack.

Some excellent examples of these include The Maysles Brothers Grey Gardens (about Jackie O's wacky relatives); Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me (about eating only McDonald's food for a month); and Hoop Dreams (about basketball).

Michael Moore hit the trifecta bull's eye with three critical and box office hits with his documentaries of Roger & Me, Bowling for Columbine, and Farenheit 9/11.

These distinctive documentaries had that Midas touch of attracting large audiences. Somehow its thesis and central themes clicked with the movie going public.

Every Little Step (Sony Pictures) deserves to be included in the above esteemed group of documentaries.

Directed by James D. Stern & Adam Del Deo, this documentary's central theme is the musical A Chorus Line. They show us the history of its original conception and at the same time takes us through the auditions for the 2006 Broadway revival.

Stern is the director with Broadway pedigree. Stern has to his producer credits such Broadway hits as Stomp, Hairspray, and The Producers. Del Deo has produced both films and documentaries. These two vast backgrounds work masterfully together to create both its interest and heart of Every Little Step.

Here is a quick Reader's Digest version of A Chorus Line. Director/Choreographer Michael Bennett met with a group of dancers with Broadway backgrounds to meet late at night (with a jug of bad wine) to have discussions and talks about their lives, the reason they dance, why work on Broadway, and so forth.

In several books and articles those original dancers have all said it was like therapy as they revealed such personal struggles, triumphs, and failures. All of these "rap" sessions were taped on two-reelers by Bennett.

Bennett took these tapes and conception to Marvin Hamlisch to compose the music; James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante to create the book; and Edward Kleban to write the lyrics. Dante's back-story by the way was the mold for the character of "Paul."

Bennett both directed and choreographed this "backstage" musical about an audition. The end result? A Chorus Line won nine Tony Awards and to this day still holds the record for the longest running musical in Broadway history.

As a professional actor in musical theater and as a published theater/film critic (who savors & thrives on reviewing musicals), suffice to say this documentary is a smorgasbord!

I have been an obsessed fan of ACL since I first saw a production of it when I was in high school. That show soaked in deeply into that overweight, shy, frightened Latin boy in so many personal ways. I've seen so many productions of it not only in Texas, but Florida & Pittsburgh as well.

I was bouncing off the walls at the Gerald Schonefeld Theater in 2006 as I sat in my seat waiting to see the Broadway revival. I relished every single moment of that musical. From the eye-popping, marvelous choreography by Bennett, to the punch in the stomach reality of its book, to the hypnotic melodies of its score - I've never, ever grown tired of watching ACL. It spoke not only to the artistic side of my life, but also the personal. In equal doses.

Every Little Step takes us through that original conception and creation. For the first time ever (at least to me) we get to hear the actual audio tapes of those sessions. We hear the real voices of the original "line" open up and just talk. But from those discussions you hear how lyrics and storylines were formed. It is utterly fascinating to see how this musical was created from reels of audio tape into an actual stage production.

If you are obsessed with ACL (or not) you find out how songs were created, how the book came to be, on what worked and didn't work. The docu is strewn with fascinating bon-bons about the making of the original musical. I won't spoil the riches for you, but you will be unconditionally spellbound by the discoveries this documentary unwraps before your very eyes.

The documentary also goes deep into the audition process of casting the 2006 Broadway revival.

Those of us in the world of theater have never seen a no-holds bar, naked, raw, and brutally honest look into the audition process for a Broadway musical. There have been glimpses in other media, but nothing like this has ever been shown to the public.

Again, as an actor, I was mesmerized watching these thespians audition. It was indeed gratifying to know that they go through the exact same rollercoaster ride that we, outside of Broadway, go through as well in the audition nightmare. Only we actors know the horrors, fears, anger, tears, and acculturation that we go through in front of that production team table.

Every Little Step shows us how bonded all of us are when it comes to auditioning. All the blood, sweat, tears, and honesty is splashed on the screen in heart breaking reality.

But I think it's more than just "theater" that makes its central theme so universal. There are things we love to do, so what happens when we can't do it anymore? What happens when you prepare so hard for something you want-and you don't get it? What happens then?

In my entire life I've never seen a documentary like this that exposes it all of what auditioning is all about. You will cry, laugh, and truly feel for the various actors as the documentary follows them from their homes and apartments through the auditions, to the callbacks, to the final callback at the Broadhurst theater.

If you never saw the Broadway revival, then you are in for some jaw-dropping casting decisions. Because I did see the revival (with the original 2006 cast), I already knew who got cast and who did not But I was still at the edge of my seat watching how they got there!

In a strange, trippy twist of fate this is a first for me in regards to reviewing a motion picture/documentary. How so? Well I happen to be friends with one of the subjects in the documentary.

Nikki Snelson and I met when she came through Dallas in the national tour of Tick Tick Boom (portraying the lone female role). We became fast friends and hooked up again in New York when she was part of the original Broadway cast of Legally Blonde. You may have also seen her on MTV when they aired the musical or the reality series in which they cast the new "Elle". In Blonde Snelson portrayed "Brooke Wyndam", the aerobics instructor accused of murder.

I had no idea she had even auditioned for ACL, but word started to circulate about this documentary, so I put my ear to the ground to find out about it, and lo & behold I discovered that Nikki auditioned for the revival. She had auditioned for the role of "Val" (The T & A girl).

Suffice to say, it was a bizarre, wild, and heart breaking trip watching your friend go through the highs and lows of the audition. It was surreal on so many levels I can't even express them on paper. That was a very "out of body" experience to say the least.

I've seen so many Broadway shows and have had the tremendous joy of meeting personally many Broadway stars (both famous and famous only to Theater folk). I've had the wonderful pleasure as well to have personal, engrossing conversations with many of them.

So those of you who love Broadway and have been at many a stage door, you will see familiar faces from many Broadway shows audition right before you eyes.

Just to give you a taste there is Charlotte d'Amboise (Jerome Robbins Broadway, Carrie, Chicago, Damn Yankees); Natascia Diaz (Capeman, Man of La Mancha, Carousel, Suessical); Amy Spanger (Kiss Me Kate & in the current Rock of Ages); Elizabeth Parkinson (Tony nominee for Movin' Out) and Deidre Goodwin (Nine, Chita Rivera's A Dancer's Life, Rocky Horror, and the film version of Chicago as the "he ran into my knife nine times" cell block gal).

Then there is the journey of Rachelle Rak. I have seen this gorgeous woman on Broadway in Fosse & Thou Shall Not. Recently she was in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and has done Cats, Oklahoma, & The Look of Love on Broadway. Her entire audition process to the final callback is remarkable to watch unfold.

But wait till you see Tyce Diorio! Who is he? That name should ring a bell (or dance belt) to all those So You Think You Can Dance fans. He is one of the main choreographers on the FOX dance competition realty show. He also has been on the judges' panel. He auditions for the role of "Mike" (the "I can do that" role) in ACL, and his journey will leave you flabbergasted!

You feel like you are sitting at the production team's table as you watch the auditions, callbacks, the final callback, the discussions, and brutal comments. You hear raw, off the cusp comments that you know have been said at every audition table before!

The documentary seamlessly entwines both the creation of the original with the casting of the revival.

If the documentary has a flaw it is the omission of some of the others on the line who got cast. We do not see the casting of such central figures as "Diane Morales" (who sings two of the most well known songs in the whole score); "Greg"; "Al" (although you do get a few shots of the dazzling Tony Yazbeck reading with the possible "Kristines"); "Bobby" and "Richie" among others.

Also there was nothing shown regarding the casting of "Zach", which was portrayed by Tony nominee Michael Berresse, who is the complete package of what we call a true triple threat. He can be seen right now in the film State of Play with Ben Affleck & Russell Crowe. Sadly in the documentary he is only shown on camera once at the final callbacks with the "Cassies." It is so obvious the role of "Zach" was written using the life of Michael Bennett. So it would have been really interesting to see how that role was created and the casting of that part.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that these characters and the casting of these roles for the revival (their auditions and journey) turns up on the DVD.

Another glaring omission was the major contributions of Lyricist Edward Kleban. The talented composer died in 1987 (his life was turned into the musical A Class Act). But there is no mention of him or any footage of Kleban. That was a bit odd.

Every Little Step must and should be nominated for Best Documentary come Academy Award consideration next year.

If you are an actor, this documentary will show you in raw, naked, truth what similarities we share with those who audition on the great white way, and the differences as well.

If you love to attend theater and have seen Broadway shows, then this documentary will take you on the most incredible backstage trip you have never been privy to in your life.

Every Little Step is phenomenal. This is a superlative documentary from beginning to end. If you are a captive fan of Broadway, musicals, and A Chorus Line, then this film will lay before you like a banquet feast that you have never sat at in your entire life. You will want to go back for seconds, thirds, fourths, and so on.

GRADE: A+