Paul re-enters the stage and tells Zach about how he was sexually molested as a child while watching musicals on 42nd Street. Zach relents and sends her to learn the routine with everyone else. Through their stories, the group reveals how being a performer is a difficult profession.Īs Cassie enters the stage, Zach tells Larry to take all the dancers to a rehearsal room. This includes how they began dancing, first sexual experiences, their families, and hardships they've faced. As they each step forward, he interviews them and coaxes the dancers into talking about a variety of topics. Zach is looking for eight dancers (four men and four women) and has them introduce themselves. Now she has not worked in over a year, and is desperate enough to be part of the chorus line. Arriving late is former lead dancer Cassie ( Alyson Reed) who once had a tempestuous romantic relationship with Zach but left him for Hollywood. After initial eliminations, sixteen hopefuls remain.
In a Broadway theater, from a darkened place in the audience, director Zach ( Michael Douglas) judges dozens of dancers and their performances.