A Chorus Line No. 29 - Lee Wilson
- Lauryn Johnson
- Jul 16
- 4 min read
Original National Company 1976-1977, record-breaking performance 1983
"I was in the original national company of A Chorus Line and played Kristine in the 'Alternatives Scene' in the record-breaking performance in 1983. Following are four of my stories about A Chorus Line.
"I had requested the new New York company or the national company, so I was delighted when Peter Neufeld told me that Michael wanted me to play Tricia and understudy three members of the original cast, Kay Cole, Baayork Lee, and Renee Baughman, in the national company. However, when I read the contract, I was horrified to see that it allowed the company to move me to other companies at any time. I called Peter and told him this was a problem, and he assured me that Actors’ Equity had already proclaimed: 'This isn’t the Army. These dancers will have leases on apartments. Some have children. You can’t just pick them up and move them.' He said that if Michael wanted me to perform with another company, I would have to agree. He also assured me that the show would run in LA for the full 18 months of my contract. I had worked with Peter previously and believed I could trust him. That trust was not misplaced. When I left the company after 18 months, A Chorus Line was still running in LA, and I had played nearly 200 performances as Maggie, Connie, or Kristine."
"The original national company played San Francisco before opening in LA. During rehearsals, I learned that Baayork Lee’s father had died, and she would miss all five previews. I was her understudy, but the company flew in Donna Drake, the original New York understudy, who had done the role many times. I was crushed. However, at the second preview, Donna began to sway during 'At the Ballet.' The dancers on either side of her held her up until the ballet backup when they walked her into the wings. Michael was in the audience, saw the problem, and charged into my dressing room: 'You’re on!' 'For whom?' 'Connie.' I didn’t have my understudy costumes, so I grabbed my electric blue rehearsal leotard, dressed quickly, ran upstairs with Michael, and slithered into the wings. At the end of 'At the Ballet,' I was on the line as Connie. What a thrill! When I left the theatre that night, someone pointed at me and shouted, 'That’s the little girl who came late!' To top off the evening, James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante invited me to join them for supper, regaled me with stories, and picked up the check."
"Playing Kristine in the 'Alternatives Scene' of the record-breaking performance was one of the most exciting evenings of my life. On the first day of rehearsal, Michael explained that there would be eight sequential casts. The final cast, comprised of dancers from all over the world, would perform the 'Alternatives Scene.' There was no Kristine from any of the foreign companies, so Michael asked anyone who could perform Kristine in a foreign language to give her name, the company in which she had performed, and the language she spoke. I said, 'Lee Wilson. Original national company. French.' Michael chose me. The 'Alternatives Scene,' with dancers from all over the world, underscored the universality of a dancer’s experience. We came from different countries with different traditions; we spoke different languages, but we voiced the hopes and fears of dancers worldwide, and we all spoke the universal language of dance. As we sang 'What I Did For Love,' some of the dancers were looking at their dance careers in the rearview mirror. The experience was unforgettable."
"Early in rehearsals at City Center, Michael took me aside and said, 'I need a favor. I need you to play Lois instead of Tricia.' Michael said he couldn’t put anyone else in pink tights, and he needed my ballet technique. He said, 'I’ll return the favor.' I agreed to play Lois. Months later in LA, I was asked to do a screen test for a new sitcom, 'Three’s Company.' However, the production company required a letter from Michael stating that he would release me from my contract with A Chorus Line if I got the role. Michael wrote the letter and returned the favor. I didn’t get the role of Chrissy. Suzanne Somers did, but I will always be grateful to Michael for giving me that shot and casting me in A Chorus Line."
--Lee Wilson, Original National Company, author of "I Danced on Broadway”
To learn more about Lee's career, visit her website here.
Comments