Every Little Step (2008)

About half way through this film I wondered to myself if the audience would clap when it was over. They did, and it was a spontaneous and well-deserved conclusion. I'm betting Every Little Step will earn awards for Best Documentary of the year. The film begins as a retrospective about the original Broadway musical A Chorus Line, which debuted in 1975 and after 6,137 performances became the longest-running musical ever. Archival material and interviews with members of the original production take you back thirty years to the show's simple premise, which centered on the deeply human stories of seventeen performers. The documentary then turns to the 2006 Broadway revival of the original musical, and takes you backstage to follow the stories of the dancers who auditioned for the fifteen or so spots. It begins with an open call that drew 3,000 artists, and proceeds through several call backs until the cast is finalized. Many are called but only a tiny few are chosen for the coveted opportunity.