When I first saw this in the documentary about the making of the revival of "A Chorus Line", it was in a musical theatre appreciation class at my high school. We had never seen "A Chorus Line" before, none of us, except for our teacher. We were debating with ourselves and with each other whether this was real or part of the script. So much so that the teacher had to ask us to quiet down. We were, and I'm not exaggerating, in tears for Paul. Then Jason's audition ended and the people who auditioned him were talking about him and how they were astounded at how well he did the monologue. We all said, "Hire him."
This monologue is the epitome of good acting. If I need inspiration, this is where I go. Thank you Jason Tam. You are the reason for my passion for acting.
I saw this performed when I was a fourteen-year-old gay boy. I feel over-dramatic looking back at it, but it was the first time I'd ever seen a character--onstage or anywhere else--talk about being gay. And that was in 1998.
i just look it up. i am so glad he got it, he is excellent. i saw the performace done by another actor here in houston, tx for the tour of it and he was really good as well. i was crying like a baby and so was half the theater. it was so beautiful! such a beuatiful, powerful, and revolutionary monolouge!
This is literally THE GREATEST performance I've ever seen of this monologue. I'm sitting here literally crying in front of my computer screen like a crazy person.
I cried in the theater when I first saw the musical, I cried in the movie house for this documentary and now I'm crying in my bedroom. Paul's monologue is classic! And this kid is AMAZING!
I have never seen the show, just the film, but I did watch this documentary. As an actor the film rings with such truth, and Jason Tamm's audition is the stuff legends are made of. So glad it was captured here.
If i didnt know that he was doing a monologue, I would believe every word he said. In drama we are begin to learn how to do monologues.... AND HES SO AMAZING
good! he was so excellent! i saw ACL in houston a while ago, and i was crying at paul's monolouge. it was good, but nothing like jason's here. i think you'd have to be shy a heart to not let this have an effect on you.
@AtLastOnTheGround Have you seen the full version of the movie that this extract is from? Its called "every little step" and it is all about the decision and the audition process for this Broadway revival of the show... There is no way that the director would "taken what they were given" they had hundred of people audition all with a very similar look and all with a great ability of dance... they had lots of options for this part and chose this guy beause he did the monologue the best.
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been looking to watch this scene again every since I say the film. Could you also post the response by the Director?
@offcialzuehan Thanks for the comment, but i know the show quite well. i am old enough to have seen the original on Broadway a few times and a few times since then with revivals. I was talking about a few of the prior comments talk about this Jason Tam audition being from a documentary. I have found my answer and the documentary is called "Every Little Step".
@AtLastOnTheGround I'm not saying your wrong about a naturalistic style being a wrong choice but i;m saying that for some things and some parts it is wanted and needed... this is definatly one of them.
Does anybody know where I can find the entire documentary that this came from? I would very much appreciate if somebody could help me out! This is one of my favorite shows.
I got news for you: the director isn't reacting just cause that's his job. I've seen this show... oh, a dozen times? Jason is nailing it to the wall. Flat. No bubbles.
As soon as I saw this audition in "Every Little Step", I thought to myself "Him. You hire *him* for Paul or you are all idiots." I was glad to see him get the part.
@officialzoehan they are referring to where this clip is from, which is from the documentary " every little step" It was following the auditions of Chorus Line, and those who got the roles. So you are incorrect. and Correct .
This comment betrays not only a lack of proper spelling but a woeful inability to comprehend the role, the Deliver-Or-Die stakes of this particular revival audition, and the sheer nuanced brilliance of that audition. Mr. Tam literally becomes Paul, and the level of rising emotion, especially as he tries so urgently to suppress it, is exactly what the role demands. He simply presented the character fully formed and real, and the auditors' reactions say it all. Not overdone in the least.
Well, we were doing this oriental number and I looked like Anna May Wong. I had these two great big chrysanthemums on either side my head and a huge headdress with gold balls hanging all over it. I was going on for the finale and going down the stairs and who should I see standing by the stage door ... my parents. They got there too early. I freaked. I didn't know what to do. I thought to myself : "I know, I'll just walk quickly past them like all the others and they'll never recognize me." So I took a deep breath and started down the stairs and just as I passed my mother I heard her say : "Oh, my God." Well... I died. But what could I do? I had to go on for the finale so I just kept going. After the show I went back to my dressing room and after I'd finished dressing and taking my makeup off, I went back down stairs. And there they were standing in the middle of all these ... And all they said to me was please write, make sure you eat and take care of yourself. And just before my parents left, my father turned to the producer and said : "Take care of my son..."; That was the first time he ever called me that.
@AtLastOnTheGround If this was such a bad performance why did he not only land the part but make the director of the show cry.... I think that pannel of judges would know more then you acting teachers after all these guys do this for a career, they saw hundreds of people do this exact same part and heard these lines probably hundreds of times and yet this guy made them cry?.. I'm sorry but that was killer performance.
EN ESPAÑOL: Estábamos haciendo este número así como Oriental y te juro que me parecía a Cyd Charisse... ¡No! A Ana May Wong, Anna May Wong... Tenía estos dos pares de crisantemos gigantes a cada lado de mi cabeza... Este precioso sombrero de copa con joyas colgando... Bueno; Me clasificaron para la final... Estaba bajando las escaleras y no podía creer a quién veían mis ojos, apoyándose en la puerta de entrada a bambalinas... Mis padres. Llegaron demasiado pronto, entré en pánico, no sabía que hacer ¿sabes? Así que pensé, no se, sigue caminando... Pasa por su lado al igual que el resto y tal vez no te reconozcan... Respiré profundamente un par de veces... bajé las escaleras y justo cuando paso por el lado de mi madre la escucho decir "madre del amor hermoso"... Ahí es cuando yo me desmorono. ¿Qué podía hacer en ese momento? Tenía que llegar al escenario para el espectáculo, así que pasé de largo completamente. Después del show, fui al camerino y una vez había acabado de cambiarme y desmaquillarme bajé las escaleras de nuevo. Y allí estaban. De pie. Esperando entre toda esta gente que... (CORTA) Lo único que me dijeron fue "asegúrate de comer bien" "y cuida de ti mismo". justo antes de irse, mi padre se dirigió al productor y le dijo "cuida a mi niño" (llanto) (Llanto) Es la primera vez que me llamaba así. (LLORA DURANTE 20 segundos)
@AtLastOnTheGround i think youre entitled to your opinion, but presuming to know what he's thinking, or what he's believing is subjective. are you an acting coach?
@rossle No. I know this because I've made this mistake before. I was convinced that I was giving a realistic and good performance, when in reality I was just searching for boring and trivial aspects of life to bring into my acting. (I have brilliant acting teachers Uta Hagen and Sanford Meisner to back me up on my criticism, I'm sure). The playing with the fingers, the stuttering -- It's just not right. Trying to make everything sound "natural" is improper acting technique.
@forrdy101 They took what they were given -- He looks the part, and has a background in theater. This was not a technically correct performance. I don't mean to tear him down, I am saying this because I don't want people thinking that this naturalistic "style" is a good one to use.
This is not a good display of acting at all. During the entire monologue he's searching for a sort of naturalistic tone. Instead of making it mean something to him, he makes faces and affects his voice with "inflections" that sound "natural." It's wrong. He knows he's acting; he doesn't believe a word he's saying.
Every aspiring actor should be required to watch this monologue. This was easily the most incredible and emotional monologue I have ever seen.
When I first saw this in the documentary about the making of the revival of "A Chorus Line", it was in a musical theatre appreciation class at my high school. We had never seen "A Chorus Line" before, none of us, except for our teacher. We were debating with ourselves and with each other whether this was real or part of the script. So much so that the teacher had to ask us to quiet down. We were, and I'm not exaggerating, in tears for Paul. Then Jason's audition ended and the people who auditioned him were talking about him and how they were astounded at how well he did the monologue. We all said, "Hire him."
This monologue is the epitome of good acting. If I need inspiration, this is where I go. Thank you Jason Tam. You are the reason for my passion for acting.
the most amazing monologue i have ever seen performed. hands down.
He is simply the perfect Paul. When I saw it in the theatre I cried, and I did again after seeing it here,
I saw this performed when I was a fourteen-year-old gay boy. I feel over-dramatic looking back at it, but it was the first time I'd ever seen a character--onstage or anywhere else--talk about being gay. And that was in 1998.
Same, I saw it and died of embarrassment. I thought everyone knew this was me.
Except I saw it in like 86/87?
I cry every time. He's phenomenal. I first saw this on every little step.
Jason is SO AMAZING!! I could watch this over and over and still cry every single damn time. INCREDIBLE!
I've watched this countless times and am crying again
always makes me cry
Jason your great
We watched this in drama class. We all cried.
i just look it up. i am so glad he got it, he is excellent. i saw the performace done by another actor here in houston, tx for the tour of it and he was really good as well. i was crying like a baby and so was half the theater. it was so beautiful! such a beuatiful, powerful, and revolutionary monolouge!
Jason Tam is absolutely amazing. Incredible.
As a guy who seen the show many times, you knocked it out of the park, amazing!!! 💖
he's so amazing!!! fiercee!! i love it!
This is literally THE GREATEST performance I've ever seen of this monologue. I'm sitting here literally crying in front of my computer screen like a crazy person.
I cried in the theater when I first saw the musical, I cried in the movie house for this documentary and now I'm crying in my bedroom. Paul's monologue is classic! And this kid is AMAZING!
This is why I love Jason Tam.
Excellent! Really touched me. So nice to see Baayork in the room!
Oh, my gosh. I loved him on oltl, but wow. He is so amazing
That was amazing!!! :D, I believed every word you said! X
That was amazing!! I believed every word you said! X
He did!! Jason Tam is such a talent. Watch the entire piece on "Every Little Step" available on DVD or a torrent. =) Enjoy
I have never seen the show, just the film, but I did watch this documentary. As an actor the film rings with such truth, and Jason Tamm's audition is the stuff legends are made of. So glad it was captured here.
There it is, the humanity that connects us all.
Me too! Greatest documentary ever, and this was totally one of the best parts. Fan-freaking-tastic.
amazing
Oh my gosh, this is beautiful
Wow. So much conviction...thanks for reminding me why I love acting.
so well crafted ugh! love jason
Thats amazing....
we love Jason!
oh my gosh. oh my gosh. oh my gosh. this is heartbreaking
If i didnt know that he was doing a monologue, I would believe every word he said. In drama we are begin to learn how to do monologues.... AND HES SO AMAZING
amazing.
Yeah, i cried
good! he was so excellent! i saw ACL in houston a while ago, and i was crying at paul's monolouge. it was good, but nothing like jason's here. i think you'd have to be shy a heart to not let this have an effect on you.
....brilliant
@BSTNADAM its not a documentary, its an audition for A Chorus Line which is a broadway show, this is a monologue within the show
Holden this is from the documentary called every little step, following chorus line auditions
omg dude im like crying
he did! this is form the documentary 'every little step'
@AtLastOnTheGround
Have you seen the full version of the movie that this extract is from?
Its called "every little step" and it is all about the decision and the audition process for this Broadway revival of the show... There is no way that the director would "taken what they were given" they had hundred of people audition all with a very similar look and all with a great ability of dance... they had lots of options for this part and chose this guy beause he did the monologue the best.
Whose the older gentlemen who cries? The one with the glasses wearing an orange shirt? is that the original guy who played Paul?
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been looking to watch this scene again every since I say the film. Could you also post the response by the Director?
i
i cried
Nailed it.
@offcialzuehan Thanks for the comment, but i know the show quite well. i am old enough to have seen the original on Broadway a few times and a few times since then with revivals. I was talking about a few of the prior comments talk about this Jason Tam audition being from a documentary. I have found my answer and the documentary is called "Every Little Step".
@hahaevan No, that's Bob Avian. I believe he was the co-choreographer with Michael Bennett for the original production.
@AtLastOnTheGround
I'm not saying your wrong about a naturalistic style being a wrong choice but i;m saying that for some things and some parts it is wanted and needed... this is definatly one of them.
Does anybody know where I can find the entire documentary that this came from? I would very much appreciate if somebody could help me out! This is one of my favorite shows.
Marley M it's called every little step, there are DVDs out there
I got news for you: the director isn't reacting just cause that's his job.
I've seen this show... oh, a dozen times?
Jason is nailing it to the wall. Flat. No bubbles.
He was totes a shoe in!!! I cant I didnt know Marko from oltl was in a chorus line!!
I hate sitting in my arts building's lobby crying when I watch this...
Yo This REALLY Helped Me THANKS :{D
As soon as I saw this audition in "Every Little Step", I thought to myself "Him. You hire *him* for Paul or you are all idiots." I was glad to see him get the part.
@BSTNADAM it's called 'Every Little Step'...pretty sure it's on netflix :) hope that helps.
wow.
Has anyone found a video of him performing live on broadway playing Paul because i can't.
@officialzoehan they are referring to where this clip is from, which is from the documentary " every little step" It was following the auditions of Chorus Line, and those who got the roles. So you are incorrect. and Correct .
Holy. Crap.
this is beautiful. sorry if this is a stupid question, but did he get the part? i hope so, because this was so incredibly done!
I know I’m 11 years late, but he did!
Why wasn't he nominated for a Tony? He's incredible!!!!!!
This comment betrays not only a lack of proper spelling but a woeful inability to comprehend the role, the Deliver-Or-Die stakes of this particular revival audition, and the sheer nuanced brilliance of that audition. Mr. Tam literally becomes Paul, and the level of rising emotion, especially as he tries so urgently to suppress it, is exactly what the role demands. He simply presented the character fully formed and real, and the auditors' reactions say it all. Not overdone in the least.
Well, we were doing this oriental number and I looked like Anna May Wong. I had these two great big chrysanthemums on either side my head and a huge headdress with gold balls hanging all over it. I was going on for the finale and going down the stairs and who should I see standing by the stage door ... my parents. They got there too early. I freaked. I didn't know what to do. I thought to myself : "I know, I'll just walk quickly past them like all the others and they'll never recognize me." So I took a deep breath and started down the stairs and just as I passed my mother I heard her say :
"Oh, my God." Well... I died. But what could I do? I had to go on for the finale so I just
kept going. After the show I went back to my dressing room and after I'd finished
dressing and taking my makeup off, I went back down stairs. And there they were
standing in the middle of all these ... And all they said to me was please write, make sure you eat and take care of yourself. And just before my parents left, my father turned to the producer and said : "Take care of my son..."; That was the first time he ever called me that.
a few people mention "this documentary" in the comments. What documentary? I am lost....Thanks
@AtLastOnTheGround
If this was such a bad performance why did he not only land the part but make the director of the show cry.... I think that pannel of judges would know more then you acting teachers after all these guys do this for a career, they saw hundreds of people do this exact same part and heard these lines probably hundreds of times and yet this guy made them cry?.. I'm sorry but that was killer performance.
can anyone tell me if this monologue is overused ? I want to use it for an audition and have no idea if it’s a good choice or not :/
@kjag23 Don't they teach directors how to spell "epitome" anymore?
EN ESPAÑOL:
Estábamos haciendo este número así como Oriental y te juro que me parecía a Cyd Charisse... ¡No! A Ana May Wong, Anna May Wong...
Tenía estos dos pares de crisantemos gigantes a cada lado de mi cabeza... Este precioso sombrero de copa con joyas colgando...
Bueno; Me clasificaron para la final... Estaba bajando las escaleras y no podía creer a quién veían mis ojos, apoyándose en la puerta de entrada a bambalinas...
Mis padres.
Llegaron demasiado pronto, entré en pánico, no sabía que hacer ¿sabes? Así que pensé, no se, sigue caminando... Pasa por su lado al igual que el resto y tal vez no te reconozcan...
Respiré profundamente un par de veces... bajé las escaleras y justo cuando paso por el lado de mi madre la escucho decir "madre del amor hermoso"... Ahí es cuando yo me desmorono.
¿Qué podía hacer en ese momento? Tenía que llegar al escenario para el espectáculo, así que pasé de largo completamente.
Después del show, fui al camerino y una vez había acabado de cambiarme y desmaquillarme bajé las escaleras de nuevo.
Y allí estaban. De pie. Esperando entre toda esta gente que... (CORTA) Lo único que me dijeron fue "asegúrate de comer bien" "y cuida de ti mismo".
justo antes de irse, mi padre se dirigió al productor y le dijo "cuida a mi niño" (llanto)
(Llanto) Es la primera vez que me llamaba así. (LLORA DURANTE 20 segundos)
@AtLastOnTheGround i think youre entitled to your opinion, but presuming to know what he's thinking, or what he's believing is subjective. are you an acting coach?
The actor kill this part. Amazing performance.
THAT, my friends, is how straight guys should play gay guys....AMAZING job!!
And if he is, he doesn't deserve recognition for great acting?
@rossle
No. I know this because I've made this mistake before. I was convinced that I was giving a realistic and good performance, when in reality I was just searching for boring and trivial aspects of life to bring into my acting. (I have brilliant acting teachers Uta Hagen and Sanford Meisner to back me up on my criticism, I'm sure). The playing with the fingers, the stuttering -- It's just not right. Trying to make everything sound "natural" is improper acting technique.
@forrdy101
They took what they were given -- He looks the part, and has a background in theater. This was not a technically correct performance. I don't mean to tear him down, I am saying this because I don't want people thinking that this naturalistic "style" is a good one to use.
lol sorry i didnt see someone had replied to you
yeah he did, cuz he made them cry!!!!! he was the ONLY good 1 from what i saw...hes just gr8!
Is that Freddie Mercury at the end?
Is he gay in real life? because if he isn't, he needs an oscar, now.
Wanted to clap behind the screen. Wow.
This is not a good display of acting at all. During the entire monologue he's searching for a sort of naturalistic tone. Instead of making it mean something to him, he makes faces and affects his voice with "inflections" that sound "natural." It's wrong. He knows he's acting; he doesn't believe a word he's saying.
That was amazing!!! :D, I believed every word you said! X
amazing