THEATER REVIEW:

When “A Chorus Line” blazed across Broadway for a 15-year run back in 1975, winning the Pulitzer Prize and nine Tony awards, it inspired a plethora of local productions from the late ’70s through the ’80s. Seems as if every college and community theater was taking a crack at this landmark show.

It’s been quite a while since the career-driven dancers vying for eight slices of anonymity in a Broadway musical have been glimpsed locally, but now the original is back — or at least a high-stepping copy of that mid-’70s classic, directed by its original Tony-winning co-choreographer — at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Taking the late Michael Bennett’s concept and choreography and dusting it off for a new generation, director Bob Avian has mounted a superb ensemble piece with inestimable assistance from Baayork Lee, restaging the original Bennett-Avian choreography.

The beauty of “A Chorus Line” is that there are no headliners — but plenty of stars with their own individual moments in the spotlight. And while we may be quite well acquainted with them by this time, their impact is hardly lessened by this familiarity.

There’s Cassie (Nikki Snelson), whose dreams of making it on her own have crumbled and who now seeks a place on the line. Complicating her quest is the demanding director Zach (Michael Gruber) — an old flame. Snelson is radiant in her desperate “Music and the Mirror” solo dance.

There’s Val (Natalie Elise Hall), the chorus cutie who warbles the show’s funniest solo, “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three,” which will forever be known as the “T & A” number, about enhancing her physical appearance for fun and profit. It’s a howl.

There’s Diana (Gabrielle Ruiz), a Puerto Rican import who offers a funny-poignant selection, “Nothing,” about being trapped in a method acting class. Ruiz also leads off the show’s best number, “What I Did for Love,” as the dancers consider their life after showbiz.

There’s Sheila (Emily Fletcher), a stunning “old lady” of 30 who looks down on the younger cuties and shares a riveting “At the Ballet” number with Pilar Milhollen and Hollie Howard as each recounts her traumatic childhood.

And there’s Paul (Kevin Santos), whose riveting story of growing up “different” needs no music or dancing for amplification. His character illustrates the pitfalls of the dancer’s life.

On the fringes, there are the brash, athletic Richie (Anthony Wayne), the goofy, lanky Judy (Stephanie Gibson), the vocally challenged Kristine (Jessica Latshaw) and the enthusiastic Bobby (Ian Liberto in most performances, but splendidly played by Colin Bradbury opening night).

These and many more coalesce into a glittering finished product at the show’s end as they strut the signature number, “One.” And to be sure, these dancers have indeed become one — an eye-catching moment no matter how many times you’ve seen the show.

Real-Life Lovers Bring “Love Letters” to Vanguard

In its not-quite two seasons at Vanguard University, the new American Coast Theater Company has plumbed the depths of serious drama (“A Streetcar Named Desire”) and cut loose with abandon on a wild and wacky farce (“Bullshot Crummond”).

This weekend — and this weekend only — ACTC winds up its second season with a less-volatile, more heart-touching piece, A. R. Gurney’s A.R.Gurney’s “Love Letters,” with a cast composed of two longtime lovers, Gavin and Patti MacLeod.

Veteran television viewers will recognize Gavin MacLeod from either “The Love Boat” or “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Probably both. His wife, Patti, isn’t so well known, but has performed in stage productions of such hits as “California Suite” and “Steel Magnolias.”

Recently, the MacLeods sat down with director Amick Byram to discuss the play — which is a glorified staged reading — and its message, with some interesting observations emerging.

“‘Love Letters’ is the journey of o two lifelong friends starting at the age of 7 and continuing until the late 60s,” Gavin observed. “They spend their lives writing to each other, and these are the letters.”

“You know,” he added, “it started as a fundraiser for the Long Wharf Theater Theatre with the intent of it just being for one night and was read by David Rubinstein and Joanna Gleason. It was an immediate hit and now is performed all over the country. It’s one of Gurney’s most successful plays.”

Patti MacLeod agreed. “This is a great piece of theater that makes you laugh and cry,” she declared. “It is so well written. The nuances of the piece are amazing and the more you know the material, the more you discover them.”

“The theme is how the personal choices influence our journey in life,” Gavin added. “These are two affluent people who grow up having privileged lives, but whose problems are no different than anyone else’s.”

Gavin MacLeod, who has performed the piece frequently over the years, counts the Vanguard engagement as particularly memorable.

“What makes this so special for me as an actor is doing it with Patti, my wife. She is a wonderful actress and understands the material so well. She brings a real performance that moves you.”

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear Thursdays.