Just before he announces his final choices, the director conducting the auditions in A Chorus Line tells the performers on stage they’re all terrific. So are all the performers in the excellent, season-ending production of A Chorus Line at Stages St. Louis.

Winner of 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, A Chorus Line was conceived by Michael Bennett and features a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch, and lyrics by Edward Kleban.

The action takes place on a bare stage in a Broadway theater where the final auditions are taking place for the chorus of a new Broadway show. The only people there besides the hopefuls are the director, Zach, and his assistant, Larry.

After cutting the group down in a massive dance-off, Zach adopts an unconventional approach to picking a chorus whose members must play small parts in addition to dancing. Instead of giving the dancers a few lines to speak, Zach asks them to tell him about themselves. He wants to get a feel for their personalities.

The interview format intimidates some auditioners and animates others. Zach’s persistence at times borders on cruelty, but his questions bring out the stories about Broadway dancers that are at the heart of A Chorus Line’s appeal.

Gayle Seay’s direction and Sean M. Savoie’s lighting heighten the clarity and the impact of the stories by always focusing on the right person. The program acknowledges that Seay was inspired by the original direction and choreography by Michael Bennett and that Savoie was inspired by the original lighting design by Tharon Musser, but Seay and Savoie’s adaptation and execution deserve the highest praise.

In a show that celebrates the members of the chorus, two characters stand out: Zach and his one-time lover, Cassie. Danny McHugh’s Zach exhibits the obsessive immersion in his work that came between him and Cassie. In “The Music and the Mirror,” Lauralyn McClelland displays the star quality that sets Cassie apart.

Also in the splendid cast are:

• Kelsey Cheaney as Bebe
• Sarah Chiu as Connie
• Abby Church as Maggie
• Hayden Clifton as Greg
• Christian Feliciano as Roy
• Richard Forrist as Frank
• Liz Friedmann as Vicki
• Megan Elyse Fulmer as Vicki
• Omar Garibay as Paul
• Caleb James Grochalski as Bobby
• Elinor Harrison as Lois
• Emilee Hassanzadeh as Val
• Leah Hofmann as Judy
• Bryson Jacobi Jackson as Richie
• Ashley Klinger as Kristine
• Jacob Major as Tom
• Justin Payton Nelson as Sammy
• Ronan Ryan as Mark
• Robbie Serrano as Don
• Caitlin Stebelman as Tricia
• Nic Thompson as Larry
• Victor Carrillo Tracey as Mike
• Daniel Scott Walton as Al
• Dana Winkle as Sheila

They shine in the musical numbers, as do choreographer Dena DiGiacinto, music director and conductor John Samorian, and the fine orchestra. The admirable designs include James Wolk’s set, Bethany “Beef” Gratz’s sound, and Brad Musgrove’s costumes (inspired by the original costume designs by Theoni J. Aldridge).

A Chorus Line continues through October 9 in the Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 East Monroe Avenue.

—Gerry Kowarsky

Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography