Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life

Time Steps: My Musical Comedy Life, by McKechnie

With the recent revival of Chorus Line receiving terrific reviews, this book might be of great interest for a fan of that show or of the musical theater in general. McKechnie won a Tony in 1976 for her role in Chorus Line as Cassie, whose story in the show was largely based on her life. She achieved early success on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and then went on to dance pivotal roles in Promises, Promises and Company. Seen as some as the muse for the choreographer Michael Bennett, she was one of the original dancers who, as a group, told their life stories to Bennett. He, in turn, created A Chorus Line from their experiences. The process through which A Chorus Line emerged as a milestone of Broadway musicals is the most interesting part of this book. While McKechnie also details other aspects of her life, it is her life as a dancer on Broadway which remains the high point of her book.
-Roy