A Chorus Line at 50: How an Unlikely Musical Became a Broadway Legend

This week marks the 50th anniversary of A Chorus Line, one of the most influential musicals ever staged. It was an unlikely success story that defied the expectations of Broadway in 1975 and went on to become a global phenomenon, winning awards, breaking records, and reshaping the way musicals could tell stories.

Why it was an unlikely success
Broadway audiences in the 1970s were used to lavish sets, big romantic plots, and star-driven vehicles. A Chorus Line had none of these. There was no conventional storyline—just dancers auditioning for a show, each telling their own story through monologues and songs. There were no famous leads to draw crowds. The staging was almost minimalist: a bare stage, a line of tape, and a mirror.

Even the orchestration broke tradition. Unlike most big Broadway musicals, there were no lush string sections. Instead, A Chorus Line relied on brass, woodwinds, percussion, and keyboards, creating a sharp, modern sound that matched its stripped-back aesthetic.

Its origins made it even more unconventional. Director-choreographer Michael Bennett developed the show from taped workshop sessions where real dancers talked about their childhoods, insecurities, sexuality, and dreams. At the time, such honesty was rarely explored on Broadway, and producers worried audiences wouldn’t pay Broadway prices to watch dancers talk about their lives.

Why it became a phenomenon
Despite these risks, A Chorus Line became a sensation. Its emotional authenticity resonated with audiences; the dancers’ stories felt universal—anyone who had ever struggled, sacrificed, or reached for a dream could relate.

Marvin Hamlisch’s score helped. While What I Did for Love became the breakout hit, the score is full of wonderfully melodic, character-driven songs: Nothing, I Really Need This Job, Dance: Ten, Looks: Three (Tits and Arse), and the poignant At the Ballet. The finale, One, became a classic showstopper. I once taught One to a group of teenage boys at a high school—rugby players and self-described “sporty thugs”—and they went crazy for it. That’s the power of this music: it connects far beyond the expected theatre audience.

Accolades and reach
The awards quickly followed. A Chorus Line won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (a rarity for musicals), nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Choreography, and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical in London. In 1984, it received a Special Tony Award for becoming Broadway’s longest-running show, holding that record until Cats surpassed it in 1997.

The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances from 1975 to 1990, and it played long runs in London, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, and many other cities, along with a successful 2006 Broadway revival. For a show that some feared would never find an audience, it became one of the most financially and culturally successful musicals in history.

Its legacy
A Chorus Line changed the way musicals are written and staged. It proved that audiences would embrace character-driven shows without big plots or lavish scenery if the emotional truth was strong enough. It gave ensemble dancers—the “gypsies” of Broadway—a voice and dignity they’d never had on stage before.

Its influence is still felt today in shows like Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen, which focus on real people and real issues rather than fairy tales or fantasy. And while the orchestration and staging seemed unconventional at the time, they inspired a generation of theatre-makers to take creative risks.

Why it still mattersFifty years on, A Chorus Line still speaks to anyone who has ever stood in a queue—literal or metaphorical—hoping for a chance, fearing rejection, and longing to be seen. It shows that a musical doesn’t need a glittering set or a famous star to move audiences; sometimes, honesty and a yellow line of tape on the stage are enough.