COURTESY ALYN NISHIOKA Sheila (Yvette Ortega-Garrison), left, checks out her competition, Val (Ashley Layfield), in "A Chorus Line."

Sound problems flatten
‘Chorus Line’

'Looks nine, sound quality four." That's the score for the Castle Performing Arts Center's production of "A Chorus Line." Director Ronald E. Bright has again assembled a talented cast of consistent, engaging performers -- overall his best cast in recent years. Unfortunately, a musical falls far short of what it should be when the soloists can't be heard clearly over the music or when their microphones add random buzzing and static to the show.

"A Chorus Line" Presented by the Castle Performing Arts Center, continues at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Ronald E. Bright Theatre, Castle High School. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students. Not recommended for preteens. Call 233-5626.

Sound designer Steve Olsen and his crew might have accepted an impossible assignment in attempting to mike 19 singer/dancers and then ensure that they can be heard above a live orchestra performing in a pit positioned between stage and audience.

Army Community Theatre floundered for years in dealing with that problem. Olsen and his crew flounder here. Musical director Clarke Bright's orchestra drowns out the vocalists as often as not, and the miniature microphones make their presence known with increasing frequency as the show goes on. When these problems are still occurring during the second week of the run, it usually means that's as good as it's going to get.

Jodi Leong (Diana) is one of the few to consistently triumph in the battle between orchestra and sound system. Leong projects with power and clarity as the lead in "What I Did for Love" and makes the dancers' anthem the spirited show-stopper it should be. She also does a fine job as a singer and an actor in balancing the humor and irony in "Nothing."

Jade Stice (Cassie) brings a convincing shopworn look to the starring role of a one-time lead dancer so desperate to start over after a failed stint in Hollywood that she's willing to risk the potential humiliation of auditioning for her ex-boyfriend. Stice hits all the right dramatic notes as Cassie attempts to persuade the director to give her a fair chance. Choreographed dance often becomes a speed bump in terms of telling a story or developing character, but Stice's performance in "The Music and the Mirror" eloquently builds on the dialogue in showing Cassie's passionate desire to dance.

Despite the sound problems, many other vignettes within playwright/choreographer Michael Bennett's brilliant story of the camaraderie and competition between performers is as gripping as ever. No theater awards are at stake, just paying work for the dancers who've turned out for a Broadway "cattle call."

Several are eliminated after an initial run through the basic choreography. The others are ordered to stand in line for a group interrogation session so that Zach, the director/choreographer, can learn more about them.

Zach's initial questions -- name, birth name, age and hometown -- ask for more information than some are comfortable sharing, but anyone who isn't willing to bare their soul is free to leave.

The dancers' memories become a dazzling kaleidoscope of good times and bad, broken homes, sexual identity issues and the universally shared traumas of puberty. The poignant moments touch the heart even as numerous one-liners provide rapid-fire comic relief.

Director Bright's ensemble does an exceptional job in "I Hope I Get It" and "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love."

Most of them also stand out as individuals. Ashley Layfield is a knockout as Val and dominates several scenes just by being there. She certainly looks the part of an up-and-coming bombshell, and her performance displays a good scene of comic timing as well as dance skills. The only problem is that the orchestra drowns her out several times during her solo, "Dance Ten, Looks Three," and what remains lacks the sizzle and note of ironic triumph it needs. After all, why should well-endowed women be given preference over those less so?

Yvette Ortega-Garrison sizzles as Sheila, an older and more cynical version of Val. Sheila comes on so strong with her sexuality that Zach finally tells her to bring it down. Ortega-Garrison plays big and brassy quite well. She shows her skill with subtler characterization in "At the Ballet," as Sheila recalls the childhood experiences that shaped her. Nataysha Echevarria (Maggie) and Even Jennings (Bebe) join Ortega-Garrison in making "At the Ballet" a pivotal dramatic number.

Ross Pascual (Paul) is powerful in a confessional monologue delivered before Zach. Tony Young (Mike) is an early standout as the energetic lead in "I Can Do That." John Bryan (Richie) dominates several numbers with his powerful, clear voice and sparkling stage presence.

Patrick Torres (Zach) plays the workaholic director/choreographer as strict and businesslike. Torres is best in the scenes where Cassie forces Zach to confront their past objectively, but he was victimized by a malfunctioning microphone for most of the show.

The costumes for the most part conform to tradition, but the women deserve better costuming for the big number that closes the show. Their bulky gold lamé outfits make them look several months pregnant.