Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
#1Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:15am
She danced for Bennett, she danced for Fosse. She was in the original Chicago (Pop in Cell Block Tango) and Bennett stole her away.
Watch her "Music and the Mirror" here--between her incredible extension and her powerful arm and hand movements, she performs the number as if it had been created on her:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13M94zqat4E
And read about her in Rob's 2006 BWW interview with Cassies here:
A CHORUS LINE Special: 'My Inner Cassie'
#2Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 8:48am
Nah. She's good but not great. Her execution is strong, but there's no real fluidity or through-line. She goes sequentially from step to step. And she blows the transition into the slow section by "easing" into it almost after the fact, instead of suddenly shifting gears. Not very effective for a moment that should be very effective, especially with the light and music changes.
And her voice is not really right for the part. It's solid but a little too strident and untrained. She's not a classy Cassie.
But a very competent one.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
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husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#2Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 10:35am
As anyone who knows me, Donna is my girl. That said, Cheryl Clark comes damn close for me.
I'm with PJ on this one, I think she's absolutely stunning, and I would kill (well, not kill, but pay good money) for a copy of that video. (Cue Brody coming in to announce that he has said video and claim that it's easy to find).
My favorite part is at the end when she literally folds in half before she does the handshake/final cross.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#3Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 11:43am
I've been fortunate to see many Cassies in person and, thankfully, through youtube.
Clark is #2. I could list my "rankings", but I'll just get attacked.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#4Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:22pm
I'm with PJ. I need to see a chiropractor just from watching that!
Also, without watching that I wouldn't have found the link to the greatest Al who ever Al-ed, now and forever and ever, amen.
Tony! Tony! Tony!
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gcal
Leading Actor Joined: 10/19/04
#5Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:22pmAre there any clips of Ann Reinking as Cassie anywhere
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#6Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:40pm^ There's a clip of her doing a dance to the end of "Music and the Mirror" but it's not the right choreography. I don't think anything video wise would exist, even though she played it from 1976-1977 in a couple of different spots.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#7Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 5:05pm
I think what also excited me was the unique way she played Cassie's desperation, and communicated it through the gestures as well as through the dialogue and lyrics.
Knowing that Bennett coached her in the role himself--and remembering those of my friends back in the 80s who were coached by him, cowed by him, fired by him, inspired by him--I think I see a Cassie in her that he saw. Not Donna's Cassie, although the steps are the same, but Cheryl's Cassie directed by Michael.
#8Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 5:57pmI wasn't to fond of it until she started dancing. The first part before the mirror was fantastic.
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#9Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 7:17pm
"There's a clip of her doing a dance to the end of "Music and the Mirror" but it's not the right choreography."
If I remember correctly didn't Ann convince the powers that be at the time to change the choreography. As I recall, she stood by the fact that she and Donna were both totally different as dancers in terms of style, and since the original was so specifically tailored to Donna she knew that neither she nor the choreography would look as good.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#10Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/17/10 at 7:21pm
This is obviously not from a performance of ACL but it's interesting.
Ann Reinking 'Music and the Mirror' from A Chorus Line
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#11Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 12:08am
^ That's the clip I was referring to.
No, she didn't change the core of MATM, only a few steps so that it fit her better. All the Cassies did.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
#12Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 12:40am
An amazing clip of Ms Clark. She does indeed have very elegant and expressive hands, and such precision. I did see Ms Reinking, and as husk says, while the choreo was modified to better suit her body and style, it was changed nothing like the above clip. Very interesting to see that, though. Both of these are firsts for me. Thanks for both. I have to say I have never cared for long-haired Cassies. I find the hair-flinging distracting. I know some people raved over Jessica Goldyn, but I found her too young, too show-offy, and the hair annoyed - and oh, did I mention she was too young?
As to Yazbeck, somehow I just never cared for him as Tony, but I couldn't tell you why.
Below is another slightly obscure Reinking clip, from Chicago's Encores. Warning: starts and stops abruptly.
Roxie Hart
Updated On: 7/18/10 at 12:40 AM
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#13Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 12:45amThanks, ghostlight. I have heard over the years from various sources what the extent of the changes were that were made for Ann, ranging anywhere from "just a few steps" to "drastic differences." As I was not around to see it, not being born yet and all, I was always curious just how much it really was. Good to finally hear from somebody who saw her in the role.
#14Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 2:04amDoes anybody know if understudies were allowed to make slight changes to the MATM choreography, or is that only an option for full-time Cassies?
http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com
#15Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 6:50am
Cheryl's Cassie is magnificent. Her Sheila is the BEST.
There HAS to be a clip of Ann R. going Music SOMEWHERE!? I've been looking for years...
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#16Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 7:21am
backwoods-
It was changed for everyone. Really, the dance stays the same. They just alter a few things to make it fit different body types.
Nick2-
There's supposedly an audio recording (Again, cue Brody to come in and tell us just how easy it is to find), but I've never found it.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#17Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 8:44am
I really can't see what many of you are seeing in this clip. Her acting is wooden, her singing is unpolished and bland, her execution of the dance steps is fantastic, but only the execution. No fluidity or (seemingly) organic motivation behind it. Just one solid move followed by another solid move. Crossing each hurdle in the horse race beautifully. If this were an athletic event (the De-Cassie-Lon?), I would give her a perfect 10, but it's an artistic performance by a singer/actor/dancer. And one out of three, with the third only "technically" outstanding, just isn't doing it for me.
I would rather see a better actress (and singer) with less dance ability. I think it would have more impact for me than this does.
But that's what makes for art and opinions of it. I do see what others are seeing as far as her technical prowess. She can really move! But that alone doesn't make Cassie, or the actress playing her, a Broadway star. It just makes her a really good dancer.
EDIT: By the way, whatever happened to Cheryl Clark? Is she dancing anywhere? Teaching anywhere? She hasn't done another Broadway show since.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
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Updated On: 7/18/10 at 08:44 AM
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#18Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 9:27ambest12: I've little interest in trying to convince you that Clark was an outstanding Cassie, but you might at least concede that it's hard to appreciate one's "organic motivation" from a blurry, 25-year old video recording transferred to a digital format. I would never presume to judge someone's performance from such a terrible video and those who think they can only reveal how little they understand about live performance and about being a "star"... which Cheryl is.
#19Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 9:28am
It was okay, good even, but to me she came off too stiff and too technical, it just didn't flow as if she were just doing it "by the numbers".
Updated On: 7/18/10 at 09:28 AM
#20Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 9:31am
Nick - there are plenty of people who have hailed McKechnie's brilliance in the role from an even grainer clip thats 35 years old.
I think Clark is good. She might have been one of the best Cassies in the original run of the show but I've frankly seen others I thought were more outstanding in regional productions.
#21Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:21am
that's all fine and well, but what really does your opinion matter if you just weren't there?! Remember, there are some of us here who express opinions based on actual experiences working with or watching these performers live and not from video at all!
Of course there were/are great regional Cassies...and I love many, many of them! but I have yet to see a video of a "Music/Mirror" performance that captures the strange, exciting awkwardness of that scene and to the magic that so many actresses have brought to it.
Carlos: What you see as "by the numbers" dancing, for many of us looks like DYNAMICS, the kind of impactive phrasing and neat finishes that was once a coveted quality of theatrical (Fosse/Bennett) dancing.
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
#22Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:01amBeing there doesn't make you any more or less qualified to have an opinion, Nick. It doesn't automatically confer some magical status, much as you'd like it to. You see what you see whether you see it live or not. Everything is up for interpretation. I saw Reinking (hell, I may have seen Clark live and I just don't remember. I saw that show a lot), but I'll defer to someone like huskcharmer or Michael Bennett on specifics of the show every time, because to some degree, they're scholars on the subject in a way that I am not.
#23Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:12am
sorry, ghostlight2, but I just happen to believe that if you see (and can remember!) a live performance, you DO have a unique and privileged perspective into forming an opinion of the performance as a live performance.
"You see what you see whether you see it live or not" is the death knell of the performing arts.
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
#24Cheryl Clark: Chorus Line's (2nd) Greatest Cassie?
Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:56am
Problem is, often memory is viewed through rose-colored glasses. You most certainly are privileged to have seen whatever it is that you have seen, but it isn't unique, for it was the same live performance that many, many others shared. It doesn't make you better qualified than those who haven't seen it live, but who have scoured through archives and viewed snippets of film arduously, dozens of times.
""You see what you see whether you see it live or not" is the death knell of the performing arts."
Okay, now you're just being dramatic. I'm certainly not suggesting that filmed performances are a substitute for the electricity of live ones. I'm saying film doesn't lie. Memory sometimes does.
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