A Chorus Line/Tear Jerker

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • A Chorus Line. One of the saddest musicals ever made, about the art of making a musical. First you learn everybody's backstory, then you see that all the years, all the physical exertion, all the isolation they put themselves through, amounts to being that fifth dancer in the sparkly spats, doing backup for the main star, absolutely unrecognizable.
  • Paul's monologue
  • This troper took her parents to see Every Little Step, a documentary about the casting of the revival of A Chorus Line. Footage was shown from the auditions of the actors trying out for Paul. The one who eventually got the part was shown reciting the end of the monologue, and every damn person in the theater was bawling. It is shown that the director and everyone else involved in the casting process was crying as well, and he was offered the job on the spot.
  • For this troper, it's difficult not to choke up during "At the Ballet" when she says "Daddy, I would love to dance."
    • Even sadder is the fact that she's only playing make believe and talking to the air, as her real father didn't care.
    • How about Bebe's part? "Although I was eight or nine, I hated her." That line hits real close to home for this troper, whose mother was very much like hers growing up.
  • For this Troper it's "Nothing"
  • What I Did For Love. Christ.

Kiss today goodbye, and point me to tomorrow...

  • Sheila's line before "What I Did For Love" brought this troper to tears.

Am I copping out? Am I growing up? I don't know...