A Chorus Line No. 42 - Wanda Richert
- Lauryn Johnson
- Jul 23
- 18 min read
1st National Company 1977-80, Broadway Company 1984-86
I first saw A Chorus Line with my Mom on Broadway soon after it opened in 1975. I was 17
years old. I had already been working professionally for two years. I signed my first professional Equity contract a week before my 15th birthday as a chorus member of the show, Cabaret, at the In The Round Dinner Playhouse in Chicago, and later went on to my first "big break" at just 15 years old, playing the leading role of Sally Bowles for the last six weeks of that contract.
I was leaving Cabaret for bigger, more exciting times in the theatre! I had auditioned and been chosen for the summer series at Chicago's Arie Crown Theatre. That series consisted of Damn Yankees, starring Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston, Showboat, starring Mickey Rooney and Harvey Presnell, and Oklahoma starring John Davidson. I celebrated my 16th birthday during that run with a beautiful dinner Harve invited Mom and me to at a lovely restaurant in the McCormick Inn. I was so fortunate to have formed friendships with and learned so very much from working alongside those Stars at such a young age!
Because I was so young, Gwen asked Mom if she would allow me to go on her summer tour of Damn Yankees with Ray on the Guber Music Fair circuit, and of course, Mom said yes! Immediately after the Arie Crown Series, Mom and I packed up my new VW gold Sun Bug and drove to New York City for my first experience of rehearsing in the Big Bad Apple. Mom stayed with me for that entire time, and then I was off for a summer on my own for the first time, so grateful that Gwen had invited me to join that company.
After I returned home, I continued working in the Chicago-land area until Mom and I decided it would be a good idea for me to have something to fall back on. So... I enrolled in Beauty School! Mom had already been attending part-time. Every Saturday we shared our ladies' haircuts and perms, and I became really quite good at it. I went to beauty school during the day and dance class in the evenings. This is when the Chicago Tribune had their Sunday spread on the new Broadway musical, A Chorus Line, and I just KNEW I had to do that show!
Mom and I packed our suitcases, got in the Sun Bug again, and were off on another of our road trips to N.Y.C. When we arrived at the Shubert Theatre, we were able to purchase the last two
tickets available, way up in the last row of the balcony, next to a post. From the moment the
curtain went up and the company turned away from the mirror, we were both immediately drawn
to Donna McKechnie. During her The Music and The Mirror number I turned to Mom and said,
"The girl in the red dress... THAT'S the part for me!" Walking out of the theatre that day, I set my
sights on the role of Cassie and never let go.
Soon after we returned home, we learned auditions were going to be held for the 1st National
Touring Company of A Chorus Line ... in Chicago! The company then playing in Los Angeles
was slated to open Chicago's Shubert Theatre on New Year's Eve 1978. Wow... I just HAD to do
the show in my hometown!
Going to an Equity open call in downtown Chicago at the Shubert Theatre was so exciting! I absolutely aced the dance audition and was asked to stay and sing. I sang the one and only song which has gotten me all my work... '"Where Am I Going" from Sweet Charity. I was then asked to sing, "At The Ballet." ... Maggie's part... Omg! It was totally out of my belting range, but I did it, hitting that last note and completely surprising myself! They seemed impressed, thanked me for coming and said they would be in touch. I went home to wait, and pray, for their call. I waited... and waited... and finally began to lose hope. I knew how well I had done at my audition, the response I got after I sang, and I was absolutely certain I would be hearing from them soon. The call didn't come though, so I returned to Beauty School and life as usual. Then,
one day in late August as I was washing a lady's hair, my instructor came up to me and said there was a call from home. My heart immediately dropped into my stomach. I would never get a call at school unless something was terribly wrong at home. I apologized to the lady in my shampoo bowl and went up front for the call. It was Mom. A Chorus Line had just called!! They told Mom I was needed in Los Angeles on September 19th to join the company as an understudy to Sheila. I was so beside myself excited that I quickly gathered all my belongings and walked out of Capri Beauty School forever, leaving my lady in the shampoo bowl! I never knew who finished her hair. I was officially a Beauty School dropout.
A couple of weeks later, Mom and I, with my little Yorkie, Mandy, we're back in the Sun Bug driving to Los Angeles. When we arrived at the apartment put aside for me, we learned they didn't accept pets. So, Mom and I were rerouted to the old actors' apartment hotel, The Montecito, in Hollywood. After we got me settled in, I took Mom to the airport and her flight back to Chicago. I packed my dance bag and prepared to find my way to my first rehearsal at the Shubert Theatre the next day.
I found my way to the theatre from Hollywood and was greeted by the company manager with my contract. As I began to sign it, I noticed they had me down as an understudy to both Sheila and Maggie. There must be some mistake! I pointed it out and no, there was no mistake, so I quickly signed it believing I would never go on as Maggie. It was then time to be fitted for my costumes and meet Gus Banks for the first time... the incredible little man who custom made our dance shoes. I was then introduced to Michael Bennett's assistant, Baayork Lee, and the other dancers I would be learning the show with. Our rehearsals began with Baayork later that day. It was such amazing experience. The rehearsal hall, the dressings rooms, the absolutely beautiful theatre itself, with its red seats reaching to Heaven. Standing center stage looking out at the house for the first time absolutely took my breath away. This was the Big Time! I couldn’t wait to learn the rest of the show and actually get the chance to go on.
Then came the answer to my prayers. About a week into our rehearsals, we were told that Michael Bennett was going to be coming out to visit the company in two weeks and Baayork asked that I, along with two of the other new ladies, learn the Cassie dance for him. I was beyond thrilled! My dream was beginning to become a reality. And then the marathon began.
There has never been a time in my life where I have worked harder than I did during those two weeks leading up to Michael's visit. Baayork began teaching us the Cassie dance while we were still in rehearsals to finish learning the show. Learning the Cassie choreography was amazing and exhilarating... getting through the entire number was another story. Cassie is such a physically demanding role. The first time we all had the chance to dance the entire number, we all felt like either passing out or throwing up. We rehearsed the dance every day to build up our stamina. We still had a little over a week to be able to get through the number before we had to perform it for Michael.
Michael arrived in LA, was introduced to us, watched us in rehearsals for a short time, and then proceeded to fire four of the new dancers who joined the company with me. WOW! The rumors were true. He was someone to fear. Shortly after, it was time for me to dance for him. It was definitely the most nervous I had ever been in my life! God sang and danced through me that afternoon. Halfway through the number, Michael stopped me and said, “Thank you darling, that's all I need to see.” He then asked me to read for Val, Judy and Kristine. Michael was very sweet to me, and I could see how pleased he was with everything he asked me to do. I felt a special connection begin with Michael that day and my fear of him ended. He left and we had our day off. When I returned to the theatre the next day, I was called into the stage manager’s office to be given the amazing news that Michael wanted me on the line as soon as there was an opening! I was made the first cover to Cassie, Sheila, Val, Judy and Kristine! I had four more roles to learn, so it was off to more rehearsals for me.
I was now understudying six of the nine female roles and was ready to go on for all of them. I never thought my first performance would be..... as Maggie! There are no words to express how terrified I was standing on stage for the first time, in the dark, facing the black velour wall shaking inside, ready to turn and walk down in the spotlight singing that last note in "At The Ballet." I gathered all my courage and somehow pulled it off. It was the last time I ever went on for Maggie, LOL! Instead, there was an opening to play Kristine for six weeks, so I signed a contract and had the best time pretending I couldn't sing in the number, "Sing."
I spent my first Christmas alone in Los Angeles with my little, Mandy, made the trip back to Chicago for our opening night at the Shubert Theatre on New Year's Eve, and then my work preparing for the role of Cassie and my performances for every role I was covering truly began. I became an extremely valuable understudy and was on all the time. I would literally come in from dinner to find which role I'd be playing that matinee or evening on the board in the lobby of the theater. I hadn't been on for Cassie though, and as exciting as it was for me to be on stage all the time, honing my acting skills in the variety of roles I was covering and getting those great paychecks with the extra funds for each performance I covered, I wanted to go on as Cassie!
Every matinee day between shows the Cassie understudies were required to do the Cassie scene, song, and dance, two times back-to-back to keep our stamina up. This went on for months. It began to become extremely tedious and disheartening to continue these matinee rehearsals to an empty theater with no orchestra, no mirrors, and no audience week after week, and I began being unable to make it through the entire number. Two opportunities for me to be on the line permanently as Cassie came and went, and even though the management knew Michael wanted me on the line as soon as there was an opening, they decided to keep me as an understudy, instead. They told me I was too young to be playing a 32-year-old woman, and I needed to grow in the role. I asked them how I could grow in the role if I was never allowed to go on stage? I also reminded them that at just 15 years old I was contracted to do the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret, so I had five more years of experience under my belt, I was ready, and Michael wanted me to do it. I was so very frustrated... and angry at that point. My 20th birthday was coming up in a couple of weeks, so I booked an appointment at Vidal Sassoon hair salon, cut my hair short, and decided I was going to look like a Cassie.
My breakthrough came shortly after. I was home wondering how I was going to get to work downtown during one of Chicago's very intense blizzards. The phone rang and it was Tom Porter, my stage manager, telling me that I was on that night as Cassie. When you want something badly enough, you'll do anything to get it! I couldn't tell Tom that I wasn't going to be able to make it in because of the weather, so I got dressed, grabbed my dance bag, put on my boots, and literally walked a mile in almost knee-deep snow to the train station, where I waited almost an hour for the train to downtown Chicago. Once there, I still had to walk all the way to the Shubert. My legs felt like rubber, and I truly didn't know how I was going to be able to dance that night. I put my red Cassie leotard on and went to the ladies' room to meditate. I sat on the
floor with my back against the marble wall. I visualized my body and voice being strong and having a wonderful performance. I knocked it out of the park that night, surprising everyone! Everyone but me. I finally realized my dream of being the girl in the red dress. I proved I was ready and able to do the role, and I couldn't wait to do it again... without my stroll in the snow! My performance that night didn't seem to be enough for the "powers that be, " however. Our Cassie at the time, Cheryl Clark, was leaving and they still didn't want to commit to giving me the role. So, they asked me to audition for them in a performance... a performance which would choose between me and the other lady understudying Cassie. I was given the matinee, and she was given the evening performance. The "powers that be" were coming in from New York to watch both performances and decide which of us would be the next Cassie.
I decided that if I wasn't chosen, I would leave the show, so that morning Mom and I wrote my resignation letter for me to hand in at the end of that night. I called the theatre for tickets for Mom, Granny and Gramps, and a few close family members and friends. I then gave the performance of my life! After the evening performance I walked into the stage manager's office, handed them my resignation letter and said, " I'm not going to be a valuable understudy anymore. You're going to lose me either way, so you decide." My next phone call from Tom Porter came after our day off. He was calling to ask me to come in and sign my run of the play contract as Cassie.
My proudest moment on stage with A Chorus Line was a few weeks after my 20th birthday during my opening night as Cassie, as I held my final pose, feeling the tremendous energy of the applause and looking down to see Mom's, Granny's and Grandpa's faces, 5th row Center. The Gratitude I felt for all we did as a team to get me there was overwhelming. They always told me I could do anything I set my mind to, and they were right! They were the reason I was standing there, finally achieving my Dream.
Playing Cassie in my hometown for six months was such a fabulous experience for me. It was so much fun to often see the faces of friends and relatives in the audience during the finale bows. I also had the added benefit of being able to spend more time with Mom. She worked downtownduring the day and was within walking distance of the Shubert. She often joked that she should own one of the seats in the theatre because she purchased so many tickets to see me perform. So... she decided to get herself a job as an usher! Most every night I would meet Mom before the show for a bite to eat around the corner, do the show, and then drive home with her... in my new Datsun 280Z. I gifted myself with it to celebrate signing my new contract. The gold Sun Bug was gone. I now had my dream role and my dream car.
Six months had flown by, and the show was getting ready to close in Chicago. I bought a steamer trunk and packed for the next year ahead of touring, beginning that December. It was a great tour. We traveled to major cities and sat there for several months at a time. I had my little Yorkie in my dance bag and my brand-new car with me. I was absolutely loving my life doing the show on the road for the next sixteen months.
My run as Cassie ended in March of 1980. I had a wonderful talk with Michael about my career when we opened the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco, in December of 1979. During that conversation he told me that he wanted me to stay with the company, but he would never hold me back from my career. He said he was even going to suggest me to Gower Champion for his new Broadway show in the works. I think he may have done just that. Three months later, one week before I turned 22 years old on April 18th, I signed my contract to play Peggy Sawyer in Gower's 42nd Street. There's so much more to this story. I'm writing that book now.
MY ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIMES WITH A CHORUS LINE
After closing the show in Chicago there would be no time for me to drive to the next city,
Washington DC. I was going to have to ship my car and fly with the company because we had
something very special to do on December 3rd as soon as we landed. We were scheduled to
perform the Finale as a surprise for the first Kennedy Center Honors being awarded to Fred
Astaire. What an amazing experience that was! We flew to Washington and immediately got on a
bus to the Kennedy Center. We didn't even have time to check into our new apartments. Our finale costumes were waiting for us when we arrived. We were sharing a dressing room with some amazing Stars... Ginger Rogers even asked to borrow my curling iron! We were hurried to the stage and got in place behind a huge skrim the size of the entire proscenium of the Opera House stage. As we waited for the curtain to rise, we watched a 5-minute clip of all of Fred Astaire's best work sprawled across the huge skrim. Three of us had been chosen to say something to Mr. Astaire. I was one of them. After the skrim rose to find us posed in our line, and the audience gasped at the surprise of us being there, we each stepped forward. I said, "Mr. Astaire, you've given every dancer in every chorus line a height of
perfection to shoot for." And he blew me a kiss. It was awesome. (video below, begin at 4:30)
In December of 1979, Michael chose our company to do the finale with Mikhail Baryshnikov
for his 1980 TV Special, "Baryshnikov on Broadway." Michael chose our company because he thought we were the best! We flew down to Los Angeles from San Francisco on Sunday, our day off. We were taken to a recording studio in Hollywood to record the finale vocals, and then on to the studio to meet Baryshnikov and tape the finale dancing with him. What an absolutely
fabulous way it was to spend our day off!
In early September I received a phone call from Michael's office asking me to be a part of the
most incredible, genius work Michael had ever done. It was the A Chorus Line Gala on
September 29th, 1983, when 332 A Chorus Line veterans gathered to celebrate the musical
becoming the longest running show on Broadway. I had just been chosen to replace Anita Morris
in NINE and was getting ready to negotiate my contract. There was no way I was going to miss
being there with practically everyone who had ever done A Chorus Line anywhere in the world! I
was so grateful I got that phone call before I signed my contract, because I asked for those days
off to be written into my contract, and my agent was able to make that happen.
That entire week was something all of us involved will never forget. Gathering together with over 300 dancers in the Shubert Theatre to begin rehearsals was surreal! We then moved downtown to the Michael Bennett Studios to rehearse for the week, which is also where Michael held one hell of an incredible party for us all. I was asked to do the Cassie dance along with Donna McKechnie and Michael's six other Cassies. The way Michael choreographed using everyone was absolutely brilliant! When the original company showed up on stage at the end of the opening number the crowd went absolutely wild! It was an absolute history making night in the Theater which will never be repeated again! I was so very blessed to be a part of it.
At Michael Bennett's request, I attained my ultimate Dream and returned to Broadway as Cassie in 1984. For two more beautiful years I had the joy of reprising my forever favorite role where I first saw the show with my Mom. What an absolute THRILL that was for me! I truly was in my joy... just LOVIN’ my life. Going to work, getting paid for something I absolutely loved to do. In June of 1985 I was asked to be a presenter at the Tony Awards AND I got married. I had hit the zenith of my paradigm. I felt I had done it all. I was ready for my next Dream... to become a mother. I danced my way through the first four months of my pregnancy with my daughter, Candace. I left Broadway for motherhood in the summer of 1986.
MY MEMORIES WITH MICHAEL
* Michael always had a drummer at rehearsals... because he was a dancer.
* Michael always had a new pair of custom-made shoes waiting for me in my dressing room
every month or so... he knew how very important that was, because he was a dancer.
* Michael knew how important it was to tailor his choreography and tempos for each Cassie,
because he was a dancer.
* A year into my run, Michael came up to Boston to check on the cast and hold a brush-up rehearsal. Everyone seemed really on edge, nervous that he would be in the house that night. The last time I had seen Michael was when I first did the Cassie dance for him in LA. He had never seen me in the role, so I was quite nervous, as well. I had never been to an acting class, nor had I studied vocally. Michael became my acting teacher and my vocal coach during the short time he was there. He honored my talent in such a special way. I learned so very much as an actress from him. Rehearsals with him were exciting and priceless. Michael felt me because I danced the dance so like him... down and into the ground. He set the tempos on me the way I loved doing the dance and from that point in time on, I found a new exhilaration in the role that I never tired of.
* Michael threw a second party in Shubert Alley the day of the Gala performances. The entire area was tented and beautifully decorated. There was champagne flowing, caviar, and everything glorious! After taking photos with Michael and the entire creative team of A Chorus Line, I invited Michael to come see me in NINE. He agreed and we made plans several days later for him to come the following week. When I made my entrance that evening and saw his face in the audience it meant the world to me. After the show he waited for me in his limo, and we went to a fabulous Italian dinner together. Michael told me how proud he was of me and all that I had accomplished in New York. Then he said, " Darling, you must come do Cassie for me on Broadway. You've done 42ND STREET, you've done NINE, and now you absolutely must do A
Chorus Line on Broadway. Of course, I can't fire anyone to have you come in right now, but as soon as there's an opening, I will call you and you will come do Cassie for me...yes?" I said," "Oh, Michael, that would make me the happiest girl in the Universe... Of course! Yes!" Unfortunately, NINE only ran for six more months, but the timing was Divine. Almost immediately after the show closed, I got the call from Michael asking me to come do Cassie for him on Broadway.
* Michael calling me again asking if I thought I could swing doing a workshop with him during the day and Cassie at night. His workshop, SCANDAL, starring Swoosie Kurtz and Treat Williams was about to begin, and he wanted me to be a part of it. My answer was always yes. Although the following are not A Chorus Line memories, they are Michael memories which intersect the time between my time with the 1st National Company and the Broadway Company.
* The telegram I received from Michael on my opening night in 42nd Street which read, "I always knew you'd be a big star. Who says art doesn't imitate life. Love, Michael Bennett."
* The surprise I got one night as I was coming down the stairs from my dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre after the show. There was Michael at the stage doorman's post, in his red ball cap, waiting to tell me he was in the audience that night and how fabulous I was in the show.
* The phone call I received from Michael telling me he wanted all his best dancers for a fashion show he was doing and wanted me to be part of. It was for Jane Fonda's new workout clothes collection, designed by Theoni V. Aldredge, who designed all the costumes for A Chorus Line.
* The night I'm recalling was one of those rare times when you rewind those two hours gone by and say, "That was the best performance I've ever given." Michael was in the house with Bob Avian. We were re-opening the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco. After the performance, the cast was called to the stage for notes. Michael saved me for last, and this is what he said. "I have been watching Wanda since she was just nineteen. Darling, you are an actress. You can act your ass off! I applaud you. I would like the entire company to applaud Wanda." I was speechless. What an honor. That was my Tony! I will be forever grateful to the late, great Mr. Bennett. He was my mentor, and I miss working with and for him. There will never be another Michael. There will never be another female role in the Musical Theater that compares to Cassie.
There was just no better 'high' than dancing on the Shubert stage on Broadway, in that red dress, seeing and feeling those mirrors flying in around me. My true 'Inner Cassie' was in the sensuality of dancing to the saxophone playing during the slow section. She is my forever favorite role. Even though Peggy Sawyer in 42ND STREET was Wanda Richert... Wanda Richert, in her heart, will always be Cassie.
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