Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, city

When: until March 3

Visit: achorusline.com.au

Preview: Angela Allan

IN New York City, Gerrard Carter would walk from his apartment in the theatre district to get to work each day. The Melbourne born and raised dancer (pictured far right) lived in the Big Apple for 14 years. During that time he achieved his dream of starring in not one, but four Broadway productions – Sweet Charity, Dame Edna: Back With A Vengeance, Urban Cowboy and Hot Feet.

Late last year, Carter returned to Melbourne to teach at dance schools and found out about the Australian auditions for the musical A Chorus Line. He auditioned for the part of director’s assistant Larry – donning a similar blue tank top to the one the character wears in the production – and scored the role.

“This show is about auditioning for a Broadway musical. I know exactly what that’s like and it’s great to have that experience, to audition in New York, but to also work in New York on Broadway.

‘‘It takes drive and passion to pack your bags and go to New York and say, ‘I’m gonna make it as a dancer’.”

Carter, 38, trained as a ballet dancer under Karen Stephens when he was 16 – a late bloomer by dance standards – but he believes she gave him the technique to be able to continue dancing today.

The cast rehearsed for six days a week, including an hour of strength training to perfect the stylised routines.

“I wish I could express how much it means to be a dancer for 20 years then get to do a show like this where it talks about us [dancers] as people. It’s beautiful for me, at this point in my life as a male dancer, to be in a show that goes into great detail about what it’s like to be a dancer – and makes you reflect on your own journey and what made you become a dancer.”