Every Little Step

Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern's 2008 documentary follows the auditions for a Broadway musical revival. Thousands of dancers apply, and across months of cuts the camera records both the candidates and the panel. What is interesting is that the audition is the same as the musical's subject. The work being staged is itself about an audition process, so the candidates are performing their own situation. That coincidence carries the film's emotional weight. The narrative also shows how the original production came about; tape recordings made with real dancers in the seventies are given from the archive. The documentary saves who is cast for the end and builds its tension there. Who it's for: those who like musical theatre and behind-the-scenes documentary. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a critical view; the documentary does not question the working conditions of the industry.