A Review of "A Chorus Line," at the Paper Mill Playhouse Jerry Dalia THE DANCER'S LIFE J. Manuel Santos, center, and others in a revival of "A Chorus Line" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn. "A Chorus Line" is at once a period piece and a brilliantly timeless work of musical theater about talented people who are striving to achieve their dreams - or at least to make a living. One of them, Mitzi Hamilton - the inspiration for the show's saucy character Val, who advances her career through strategic plastic surgery - is directing the production currently at the Paper Mill Playhouse. This revival is dedicated to the memory of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical's composer, Marvin Hamlisch, who died in August. Ms. Hamilton wisely chose not to try to improve upon the staging and choreography of Michael Bennett, who conceived of and first directed the 1975 musical; she replicates them fairly faithfully in Millburn. So that long, thin, white line still stretches across a virtually bare stage, and the characters wear mid-1970s rehearsal togs as they desperately audition to be hired for the chorus of a musical comedy. The book, tautly crafted by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, pieces together different shards from the numerous characters" narratives to provide a mosaic impression of a dancer's life. Mr. Bennett used recordings of talks with performers as raw material. Tightly interwoven with the text is Mr. Hamlisch's rhythmic, gleaming score, which mixes a range of mid-20th-century pop, jazz, classical and Broadway sounds to reflect these individuals" musical worlds. The lyrics, by Edward Kleban, are very smart, yet often disarmingly seem like everyday language. Driven by the rush of Mr. Bennett's dynamic choreography, the mesh of story and songs is wonderfully seamless, especially in extended montages like the frenetic opening, "I Hope I Get It," and "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," a complex salute to the million and one pains of growing up. For people acquainted with the musical, it may be a tad jarring at first to hear Zach, the director of the show-within-the-show, depicted with a British accent by Martin Harvey. But Mr. Harvey is stern without being mean, as his character probes the inner lives of the dancers, who respond with stories about their youthful beginnings and the ongoing challenges they face as professionals. Chief among the characters is Cassie, Zach's former girlfriend, who hasn't worked since her movie career fizzled, and Paul, a shy soul reluctant to recall his times as a teenage performer in drag shows. As the two-hour musical whirls by without an intermission, Jessica Lee Goldyn's cool demeanor as Cassie eventually melts into urgency with her passionate song-and-dance solo, "The Music and the Mirror," while the wide-eyed J. Manuel Santos quietly and touchingly explores Paul's troubled adolescence. Then there is Diana, incisively portrayed and strongly sung by Gabrielle Ruiz, who first tells of her struggle with an unsympathetic acting coach in "Nothing" and later croons plaintively about "What I Did for Love." Wearing a snug leotard and a glittering bear-trap of a smile as the overtly sexy Sheila, Rachelle Rak is a sardonic presence who, as the audition proceeds, bonds subtly with Kyle Vaughn's life-of-the-party Bobby. Kyle Brown and Amanda Rose contrast nicely as a married duo, while Jeffrey Pew, playing Don, the guy who started in burlesque revues, amusingly evokes a jock more than a dancer. Curiously, as much as Ashley Arcement preens and flutters her eyelashes as the surgically augmented Val, neither she nor her humorous "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" number makes much of an impression. One wonders whether Ms. Arcement feels somewhat intimidated by interpreting a role based on Ms. Hamilton or whether the director has tamped down what should be a more exuberant performance. With its black surroundings and mirrored background, James Dardenne's minimal setting suggests a touring version of Robin Wagner's original. Tharon Musser's original lighting design, adapted by Julie Duro, looks rather faint in color and not as intense as it might be. John O'Neill, the music director, draws a good deal of instrumental sparkle and resonance from the orchestra. If this production at times seems muddled visually, its abundant vitality rarely flags. "A Chorus Line," by Michael Bennett, James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban, is at the Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, through Oct. 28. Information: papermill.org or (973) 376-4343.