N.Z. man is dance captain in “A Chorus Line”

Press, 24 August 1977, Page 16

N.Z. man is dance captain in “A Chorus Line”

From JOHN ROSS in Lon-i don Ten years ago, an Auck-i lander, Jack Gunn was earn-' ing $23 a week tripping! around in the pantomime[ “Aladdin” at Stratford East. This month he collected, $528 a week as dance cap-! tain in the musical “A Chorus Line” at Drury Lane. In the late 1950 s at Henderson High School, Jack Gunn excelled at swimming and football, and played rugby league for Glenora. When he announced, having left school at 16, that he was going to take up ballet, the decision was greeted with horror by many of the

people who knew him — in-11 eluding his parents. ;i , Twenty years later, his i friends, and family alike are i delighted that Jack has vir- i tually reached the top in his i chosen career, and shows 'every sign of remaining!! there for some time yet. j Jack Gunn trained in bal-i ilet under Philip Chatfield,!' Rowena Jackson and Kath-J leen Boyle in Auckland, but: after an extended trip to| America for a marketing research organisation, found London beckoning. With the help of a scholarship, he set sail for England in 1967. It took him eight weeks on the liner Flavia to reach I his destination, the Six-Day l War having played all sorts

of havoc with shipping! schedules. “We actually crossed the! equator five times,” he recalls. “The auditions were the day after I arrived, and I looked more like a footballer than a ballet dancer.” Two years’ tuition from Beryl Grey in London convinced her that he had a great future in ballet, but convinced him that all his | hard work and talent — he also learned singing, jazz

and tap dancing — was worth more than the $35 a week he could expect to receive during his first two years in classical ballet. A dancing part in “Sing a Rude Song” at the Garrick Theatre in 1970, starring Barbara Windsor was his introduction to the West End, after several seasons of Christmas pantomimes and summer revues.

Jack quickly made a name for himself in the London theatre, and in the next few years was billed alongside stars like Mike Yarwood, Cleo Laine, Brenda Arnau, Mary Hopkin, and Arthur Askey, and on television shows with Lulu and Cilla Black.

He first saw "A Chorus Line” in New York two years ago. Impressed, he decided then that he wanted to dance in it when it reached London.

“I felt it was the most marvellous show I had ever seen, and I wanted to be part of it,” he said.

It opened at the Drury Lane Theatre with an American cast 14 months ago, and about 1000 hopefuls turned up for auditions for the current British version. “From the second audition, I knew I had a part,” said Jack Gunn. “They wanted me to play Bobby, a comedy part, but I was determined to play Larry, the dance captain.” His determination, coupled with his obvious flair for getting the best out of other people was rewarded with

I the all-important part in what Jack describes as the , most complex dance show ever to be presented in the West End. And it is hard work — most of the 30-strong cast have suffered injuries of one form or another in rehearsals. “A Chorus Line” gives an insight into the thoughts, the hopes, the fears and the fortunes of chorus line danci ers. A compelling production, it is probably “a little

too close to the knuckle for New Zealand” according to Jack Gunn, and includes “quite a lot of swearing.” As dance captain, he is responsible for putting the dancers through their paces in rehearsal, for sorting out a variety of professional problems associated with the show, and for leading the dancing on stage. He has a major say in the show’s choreography, and for the selection of any new dancers at auditions.

At the age of 32, he feels he has a few years dancing left, but wants to carve a future for himself in directing shows, in choreography, and in teaching, which he does when he can find the time.

"I have had a good career as a dancer,” he says, “but feel my real talent is in bringing out what other people have.” He hopes to return to New Zealand within the next 12 months — but strictly for a holiday.