Deconstruction # 5--Priscilla Lopez Singing "Nothing," From "A Chorus Line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                               I feel like I have covered this topic already, darlings, because I wrote on it, several weeks.  Though that centered a bit on how I sing it, whereas this is ALL PRISCILLA.

                                "Nothing" is one of those songs that gives the show its universality.  Everyone can relate to it in some way.  It starts with a young girl, eager to learn--in this case, the craft of acting.  But her teacher, Mr. Karp, turns out to be of the cookie cutter mold, and, instead of challenging her with innovation, belittles her, until she loses enthusiasm for the course and almost for the craft.  It is what public school teachers in my day used to do--if you did not fit the mold, they did not want to deal with it.

                                 The song progresses to where Karp is now allowing her peers to humiliate the poor girl,  Diana Morales, calling into question his quality of instruction, as far as I am concerned.  Just like I called into question those I listed in the earlier post.

                                   As defined by Priscilla, Morales was the more spirited member on the line. She learned, through this experience, that what is important to Mr. Karp is not important to her, that satisfying him does not matter, but satisfying herself. As she realizes, in those immortal lines, "This man is nothing!  This course is nothing!  If you want something, go find a better class!"

                                     And that twisted ending, both poignant and vengeful.  Marvin Hamlisch and Ed Kleban are to be hailed for writing such a brilliant song--one of many for this classic show.

                                       Easier to sing than "At The Ballet."

                                       Here is that golden moment, with Priscilla, back in 1975.  She was, and is, a force all her own!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!