Michael Bennett
's 1975 valentine to "gypsies," the dancers who are often treated as so much mobile scenery in Broadway
musicals
, is sometimes considered to have broken new ground with its frank portraits of talented but frustrated performers. The score by
Marvin Hamlisch
and
Edward Kleban
is a favorite of "theater people" everywhere, but was designed to showcase the abilities of dancers rather than singers. Consequently, only the
ballad
"What I Did for Love"
has had a life outside of the show's context.
Columbia
/
Legacy
's 1998 CD reissue of the original Broadway cast recording of
A Chorus Line
contained the previously unreleased
"Montage, Pt. 1: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love,"
plus extensive liner notes featuring memorabilia, cast listings, and previously unpublished photos. ~ Marjorie Ellen Ruhlmann