It seems only fitting that Ned Ianacone’s first off-Broadway show is “A Chorus Line,” a musical about 17 dancers auditioning on a bare stage. The original production, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch, is a character study of performers and their desire to dance based on taped workshop sessions with Broadway dancers. The show received nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ianacone will play the role of the director in the Kidz Theater production of “A Chorus Line,” Friday, January 22, through Sunday, January 31, at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York.
Ianacone, born and raised in West Windsor, is a junior at High School South and a student at the Mercer Performing Arts High School. His mother, Fran, is a freelance writer. His father, Steven, works for the IRS.
He takes four classes at South in the morning before commuting to the Old Trenton Road campus to continue studies to become a triple threat on stage (acting, singing, and dancing). “I act whenever I get a chance,” he says. “I sing daily as part of the vocal program and dance once a week.”
Ianacone, now 17, was a student at Hawk, UES (now Millstone River), and Grover schools before transferring to Collier High School in Freehold during eighth grade. He returned to WW-P’s schools this year because of access to the performing arts high school. “I can see all of my friends now,” he says. “It’s good to be back.”
He plans to return to McCarter Theater Summer Shakespeare program this summer. Last summer Ianacone played the role of King Simonides in “Pericles.” Other past performances were at Collier School and with the Shrewsbury Players.
Ianacone read about the audition in Backstage and commuted to New York City for the three-day process. “The first day was singing and dancing and the second day was only dancing,” he says. “The call back was a cold reading from the script and I nailed it.” He was asked to portray Zach, the director, in the musical.
“Zach is an interesting character,” he says. “While trying to figure out which dancers he is going to hire he breaks the characters down and rips them apart depending on what they say.” As much as Ianacone likes acting, his part also has a lot of dancing since Zach choreographed the dances. Ianacone, who plays most of the show from the back of the theater with headset and microphone, is on stage with other characters for several scenes. As far as his physical appearance he plans to wear stage make-up. The director has asked him to shave off his beard and encouraged him to cut his hair. Although the show is double cast, Ianacone is the exception and gets to perform the role of Zach 10 times.
— Lynn Miller
“A Chorus Line” will be performed at the Hudson Guild Theater, 441 West 26th Street, New York City, from Friday, January 22 to Sunday, January 31. Kidz Theater, a professional training ground for young performers, is run by Kristen Caesar. For ticket information visit kidztheater.org.
