Tharon Musser. Photo from NYPL Digital Collection Tharon won Best Lighting Design for a Musical in 1976 for A Chorus Line. Tharon: "I went to thousands of rehearsals down on 19th Street, where we went through many stages. At one point the line was going to be a light box in the floor. At another point, for what we know about snow in Puerto Rico, we were going to have all the kids in a sled in the background during Nothing. One day Michael leaned over and said, 'You know, we h

Don Pippin (front) with Michael Bennet (back) at the recording of the cast album. Photo by Bernard Fox, 1975 Donald Pippin was the Music...

Martha Swope, 1975 Robert: "In August of ’74 I had made the great big jump from chorus dancer to actor and was on a roll of regional...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "While in search of a replacement for Tony Stevens [in the role of 'Larry' the assistant-director], Michael...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 Priscilla: “Most of the time I felt that Michael left me on my own while creating Diana Morales. The best...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "Sammy Williams recalls that there was a 'presence' between Bennett and himself during the rehearsal period...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "Rick has a boyish charm and a terrific jazz technique. He got a call to audition. After he had sung the only...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "Pamela Blair's connection with A Chorus Line came as the result of a happy accident. 'I ran into Michael on...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "In the first workshop Robert LuPone was cast in the role of Al, paired with Rence Baughman as Kristine-two...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 “For Don Percassi, a short, dark, muscular Italian with a Lebanese nose, boundless energy, and a rapid-fire...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "Between the second and third sections of 'the Montage,' Richie was supposed to have his moment in the sun....

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 “A new Trish Garland returned to the second workshop. She was nervous but determined to assert herself. ‘I’ll...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 “For a month, Nancy Lane, the Jewish girl from New Jersey, had understudied Priscilla Lopez as Diana Morales...

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 “Thommie Walsh read his own monologue at the audition, a memoir about his moving to Florida with his...

Kelly recalls her vocal audition for the role of Sheila: "'I don't want to waste your time, Marvin,' I announced, 'but as much as I want...

Donna McKechnie and Michael Bennett met as dancers on the variety show Hullabaloo in the 1960s. In her book she recalls: “One of my partners on the show was a young dancer from Buffalo, New York, named Michael Bennett, and the two of us hit it off from the first rehearsal. Michael and I were terrific together, and as time went on, we became popular as partners. We seemed to complement each other with our dancing. Michael was a strong jumper, sexy and always dynamic. With my b

Photo by Martha Swope, 1975. Michel Stuart plays Gregory Gardner. Michel attended High School of the Performing Arts for ‘the two best...

Baayork Lee. Photo by Martha Swope, 1975 "I got a call from Michael and he said, 'Baayork, I'm doing this show and you must come down and...

Wayne Cilento dancing 'I Can Do That.' Photo by Martha Swope, 1975. "Wayne Cilento went to a Catholic grammar school in Westchester, New...

Kay Cole (Back: Baayork Lee, Michael Stuart, Donna McKechnie, Kelly Bishop) Photo by Martha Swope, 1975. "Kay Cole, who is nearsighted,...