Character guide
Mike
from A Chorus Line
Mike is one of the energetic young dancers auditioning in A Chorus Line, the 1975 musical about the hopefuls lined up for a spot in a Broadway chorus.
- Show
- A Chorus Line
- Broadway premiere
- 1975
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Marvin Hamlisch
Mike on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1985 film
Mike Costa on stage becomes Mike Cass in the 1985 film, but his number survives intact: I Can Do That, in which he recalls watching his sister's dance class as a small boy and taking her place when she refused to go, is one of the stage songs the movie kept. As on stage, Mike is chosen for the final line.
Wayne Cilento originated Mike on Broadway in 1975, and Charles McGowan played him in Richard Attenborough's film.
Who is Mike?
Mike is among the dancers vying for Zach's approval, and he stands out for the sheer enthusiasm and natural ease he brings to performing, contrasting with some of the more anxious or world-weary auditioners around him. When the group shares how they first got into dance, Mike's account of discovering the craft as a kid captures the pure, uncomplicated joy that drew many of these performers to the stage in the first place.
His energy gives the show a lighter, buoyant beat amid its heavier confessional moments.
Mike's role in A Chorus Line
Mike is a supporting role that leans heavily on dance technique and charisma, since his defining moment in the show is built around a lively, showcase-style number celebrating his early love of performing. The part calls for a dancer with genuine technical strength and an easy, magnetic stage presence that can carry a solo spotlight.
As with the rest of the ensemble, Mike also needs to blend into the show's demanding group choreography, moving fluidly between individual moments and tightly unified company numbers.
Why Mike resonates with audiences
Audiences respond to Mike because his joy feels uncomplicated and infectious, a reminder of why so many performers fall in love with dance before the industry's pressures set in. That youthful spark makes him one of the more purely fun roles in an otherwise emotionally heavy show.
Mike: frequently asked questions
What show is Mike from?
Mike is a supporting character in A Chorus Line, the 1975 musical about a Broadway dance audition.
Is Mike a lead or supporting role?
Mike is a supporting role known for a lively solo number celebrating his early love of dance.
Who wrote the music for A Chorus Line?
Marvin Hamlisch composed the music for A Chorus Line, which opened in 1975.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
Play today's Character Guesser