BWW TV: Happy 40th! HAMILTON Cast Sings 'What I Did for Love' in Honor of A CHORUS LINE's 40th Anniversary

By: Jul. 25, 2015
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Today, Broadway celebrates the 40th anniversary of the opening of one of the most iconic musicals of all time.

On July 25, 1975, A CHORUS LINE opened at the Shubert Theatre and went on to run for over 6000 performances, winning 10 Tony Awards, including Best Actress for Donna McKechnie and Best Musical. In April, the HAMILTON cast, performing at the Public Theatre, celebrated the 40th anniversary of A CHORUS LINE's Off-Broadway opening at the Public Theatre by performing "What I Did For Love." Below, take a look back at the performance, and watch as the original cast of A CHORUS LINE joins the HAMILTON cast on stage!

Check out photos from the special tribute here!

In the spring, the cast of the critically-acclaimed musical HAMILTON, played on the same Newman stage that A CHORUS LINE did years ago, and they also presented original cast members of A CHORUS LINE with a plaque that hangs in the Ford Foundation Lobby of the Public.

A CHORUS LINE first premiered at The Public Theater on April 16, 1975 with a book by Nicholas Dante and James Kirkwood, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and music by Marvin Hamlisch. The musical was conceived and originally directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett and later transferred to Broadway to win the 1976 Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as eight other Tony Awards, including Best Book, Best Score, Best Director, Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design, Donna McKechnie as Best Actress, Kelly Bishop for Best Featured Actress, and Samuel Williams for Best Featured Actor. Additionally it won the Pulitzer Prize in 1976 and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, as well as a special Tony Award in 1984 for Longest-Running Broadway Musical. The 2006 Broadway revival received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical.

The original production of A CHORUS LINE at the Public ran for 101 performances before moving to Broadway, where it ran for a record-breaking 6,137 performances. A Chorus Line has toured nationally and internationally including productions in London, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and Austria.

"HAMILTON" has book, music and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award-winning composer Lin Manuel Miranda, who also plays the title role. The musical is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography byAndy Blankenbuehler and music direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. "HAMILTON" is inspired by Ron Chernow's biography "Alexander Hamilton."

Just last week, President Barack Obama and his daughters attended the Saturday matinee of HAMILTON, and BroadwayWorld brought readers full coverage of everything from photos to tweets. Click here to check out pics, and click here to read about Manuel's Patti LuPone threat to audience members!

"HAMILTON" which recently transferred to Broadway following a sold-out run at The Public Theater in NYC is the acclaimed new musical about the scrappy young immigrant Alexander Hamilton, the $10 Founding Father who forever changed America with his revolutionary ideas and actions. During his life cut too short, he served as George Washington's chief aide, was the first Treasury Secretary, a loving husband and father, despised by his fellow Founding Fathers and shot to death by Aaron Burr in their legendary duel.

Tickets to Hamilton are available for purchase online at www.hamiltononbroadway.com, by phone at Ticketmaster 800-223-7565 or 212-398-8383 or at the box office.




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