The inaugural City Springs Theatre Company’s Encore Gala plans to honor the 50th anniversary of the musical “A Chorus Line.”
According to a press release, the event will feature a reunion between three of the original Broadway cast members of “A Chorus Line;” Baayork Lee, who played Connie and has directed productions for City Springs Theatre Company; Kelly Bishop, who played Sheila; and Priscilla Lopez, who played Diana. The night will be hosted by Fox 5 television’s Paul Milliken.
“This event is not a revival of the show itself,” said Executive Director Natalie DeLancey in the release. “We’re creating an original evening of song, dance, and storytelling that will celebrate ‘A Chorus Line’ and its remarkable legacy. I think fans of the show will find it a thrilling, entertaining, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The formal event will take place on Feb. 16 at the Byers Theatre in Sandy Springs. Funds from the event will benefit the company’s education arm, the City Springs Theatre Conservatory.
Lee has directed four productions for City Springs in the past, including the 2022 production of “A Chorus Line.” According to the release, many of the performers from that 2022 performance will return for the gala, including Billy Harrigan Tighe and Sarah Bowden.
“Coming back to City Springs Theatre Company to celebrate the show’s anniversary is an honor and a thrill,” Lee said in the release. “Plus I’ll get to share the stage with Kelly and Priscilla, who began this journey with me more than 50 years ago. ‘A Chorus Line’ has been a gift to audiences all over the world, but it’s been especially so to me, and I am so grateful for that gift.”
This is the first year that City Springs Theatre Company will host an Encore Gala. According to the release, each subsequent gala will revisit a musical from a previous City Springs season.
