Dancers Who Inspired A Chorus Line Make Financial Deal with Bennett Estate

The dancers who bared their souls in a series of interviews that became the meat of the classic musical A Chorus Line will now be compensated for the current Broadway revival as well as all future "First Class" productions. The artists were previously bound by an agreement signed in 1976.

The estate of director/choreographer Michael Bennett became aware of the original agreement when several of the performers aired their grievances to the press prior to the opening of the current revival of the show in October 2006. Discussions started between the estate and the performers soon after. The performers at the forefront of the discussions included Kelly Bishop the original Sheila, Priscilla Lopez the original Diana, Robert LuPone the original Zach, Donna McKechnie the original Cassie, Michon Peacock and Tony Stevens.

Bennett created A Chorus Line by gathering a group of Broadway gypsies and taping several long group discussions about their experiences in the industry. The new financial agreement, of which the terms will remain confidential, applies to the actors who were present for those taped sessions as well as ators who participated in early workshops prior to the initial off-Broadway production of the show at the Public Theater.

A Chorus Line is one of the most successful shows in Broadway history. In addition to receiving nine Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976, the musical went on to run for 6,137 performances on Broadway. The current Broadway production opened at the Schoenfeld Theatre on October 5, 2006.