A Chorus Line No. 50 - Diana Kavilis
- Lauryn Johnson
- Jul 29
- 4 min read
Broadway 1989-closing 1990
I played Cassie in Europe after we closed on Broadway and then joined the American Tour in 1991 as a swing. I did a few regional productions as Cassie - last one at age 40.
"After two and a half years on the road with the First National Tour of Cats, I decided it was time for a moment of California sun (where I grew up) before heading back to New York City. I dipped into some regional theatre, and then, everything changed with a single phone call.
"It was Nikki Harris (my dance captain with Cats), who had returned to the Broadway company of A Chorus Line. 'There’s an invited call for Diana Morales,' she said. 'Wanna come?' Wanna come? This was the show. The show that changed this ballerina into a musical theatre wanna-be.
"I was 13 when my mom took us to see A Chorus Line at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. I remember sitting in my seat, absolutely mesmerized. I had worn out the cast recording, acting out every part in our living room like it was my personal Broadway stage. And now, all these years later—I had a chance to audition for it? For the Broadway company? I booked a flight and never looked back.
"After doing the usual jazz combination, the ballet combination, singing my own song, then “What I Did for Love” and reading sides, they threw me a curveball: 'Can you read and sing for Val?' Two days later, the phone rang again. They hired me. As Val! Not only was I joining the Broadway cast—I would become the final Val of the original production of A Chorus Line.
"Opening night arrived. My mirrored nameplate gleamed in the Shubert Theatre lobby alongside those of my cast mates. Shubert Alley, with its familiar breeze, felt like it was cheering me on. I stepped through the legendary golden stage door and into a dream I’d been chasing since I saw this show. And just to sweeten this already dreamlike moment? The New York Times came to re-review the long-running shows a couple of months later, and I got a wonderful mention.
"Aside from playing Val, I was also a cover for Cassie. Troy Garza, our brilliant dance captain, had worked with me tirelessly to perfect the role. Every day, I trained and rehearsed, building stamina for the demanding choreography. The dance was deceptively challenging, and when I finally debuted as Cassie, I felt like I was flying. The first dance break was surreal. As I turned to face upstage, I saw the footlights rise from the floor in the mirrors, and for a moment, it was electric.
"It was so thrilling, in fact, that I threw up after the number. Not out of fear—out of sheer adrenaline and joy. And also, maybe because Bob LuPone had decided to break me in by improvising some of the dialogue between Cassie and Zach. Oh, Bob!
"As Val, I don’t have any wild onstage mishaps. No tangled feet in a grapevine. No forgotten lines. But I did develop a little ritual. During the 'Ballet Backup'—facing upstage for three verses—I would go over Val’s monologue in my head. Every. Single. Night. One night I forgot and panicked, double-speeding through it in my mind. Crisis averted. It became my little superstition.
"This show—it lives in your bones. The characters are drawn with such emotional precision. I realized that what made A Chorus Line so timeless wasn't just the dancing or the music, but how real the stories were. Every person in the audience could see themselves reflected in someone onstage. These weren’t just performers—they were people. People like the guy in the fifth row. People like me.
To say I was proud to be the final Val of the original run doesn’t even begin to cover it. Closing night was electric. Original cast members who were still with us filled the audience. Backstage, we stood in silence. Blackout. Hands clasped. Walk in silence. Then—piano. Lights. “Step kick kick…”
The audience erupted. When we turned to dance away from the mirror—"5-6-7-8!"—and the band came in, the sound from the crowd was deafening. We could barely hear the music. The rule about no photos or video? That quietly dissolved in the joy and chaos of the moment.
(left) Closing Night Grapevine - Diana Kavilis Morris
(center) Wedge - Diana Kavilis Morris (photo by Martha Swope)
(right) - Closing Night Final Chorus - Diana Kavilis Morris
"That night felt like time slowed down. The finale brought the house to its feet, again. The sunburst was revealed, and the final 'One' chorus brought a roar from the crowd that was so overwhelming. After the music played out, lights came back on and a giant image of Michael Bennett flew in from above along with how many performances this production did. Joe Papp took the stage, introducing us one by one—including the understudies—and then brought out the original cast. We stood there together, past and present, hearts wide open.
"Back in our dressing rooms, our beloved wardrobe supervisor, Alyce Gilbert, handed each of us a brown shopping bag to secretly pack our finale costumes to take home. She feigned innocence—pretending she didn’t know we were sneaking them out (even though she provided the bags!). I, of course, still have my costume right down to the fishnets.
"To be part of A Chorus Line—to stand on that line and share with audiences my character’s story is something I’ll carry with me always. If it had been the only show I ever did, I would have been fulfilled. That’s how deep, how powerful, how human this show is. And I will always be honored to have danced 'away from the mirror' one last time."
These photos were from the final photo shoot for the original production. The majority of the cast was there til the end, including myself. I can't find solo Val pics. I have them somewhere. Humph. The two action shots taken during the finale on closing night were from two Japanese fans who came to the show all the time when they were in town on business. They always said hello after the show. They gave me these pictures when I was in Japan with a show.
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