A Chorus Line Marks 50 Years with One-Night-Only Benefit Concert

 

A Legacy of Line, Rhythm, and Return:
A Chorus Line Marks 50 Years with One-Night-Only Benefit Concert

It began with a group of dancers on a bare stage, vying for a place in the chorus. Fifty years later, A Chorus Line is returning to the very theater where it all started—the Shubert—to honor a legacy that changed Broadway forever.

On Sunday, July 27, 2025, the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) will present a one-night-only 50th Anniversary Concert of A Chorus Line at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale today, Monday, June 30 at noon, at entertainmentcommunity.org/achorusline50. All proceeds will benefit the Fund’s vital programs supporting dancers.

The concert is directed by original cast member Baayork Lee, who will restage Michael Bennett’s original choreography alongside Bob Avian’s, offering audiences a faithful and heartfelt tribute.

The cast includes a rare blend of Broadway legends and contemporary stars. Original 1975 cast members Kelly Bishop, Wayne Cilento, Priscilla Lopez, Donna McKechnie, and Baayork Lee herself are set to perform. They’ll be joined by Nick Adams, Sarah Bowden, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and performers like Jessica Vosk, Krysta Rodriguez, and Tony Yazbeck, with additional casting still to be announced.

From Workshop to Global Phenomenon

When A Chorus Line opened on July 25, 1975, no one could have predicted the impact. Conceived by Michael Bennett, with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante, the show revolutionized musical theater by placing dancers—and their vulnerabilities—at the center of the story.

It ran for 6,137 performances over nearly 15 years, closing on April 28, 1990, and held the record as Broadway’s longest-running musical until it was surpassed by Cats in 1997. The show earned nine Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and spawned countless tours and international productions.

Its financial success was just as extraordinary. With an original capitalization of approximately $1.1 million, the show went on to earn over $146 million on Broadway and more than $277 million nationwide. Reports from the time estimate that original investors saw a return of up to 3,000%, making it one of the most successful investments in Broadway history.

A Benefit That Dances Forward

The July concert is more than a tribute—it’s a full-circle moment. By supporting the Entertainment Community Fund’s programs for dancers, the show gives back to the very community it helped put in the spotlight.

“A Chorus Line told the stories of dancers who often existed in the shadows,” said Baayork Lee in a past interview. “This anniversary is about bringing those stories—and that spirit—back into the light.”

For one night only, Broadway will once again ask: “What would you do for love?”—and dancers past and present will answer.