History TearJerker / AChorusLine

** What happens to her in "Nothing" is also really sad. Diana struggles so hard with the improvisation exercises Karp puts her class through and it's not from lack of trying. She tries so hard...and her reward is not only being criticized by Karp for not going along with the exercise but ''being teased by her classmates and Karo''. It culminates with Karp telling Diana that she should transfer to a different school because "you'll never be an actress, never!"

** The ones eliminated are Don, Greg, Al, Kristine, Bebe, Sheila, Connie, and Maggie, and Paul is disqualified.[[note]]In the film adaptation, Judy is eliminated instead of Bebe.[[/note]] The reasons are sad too, since they're largely unrelated to their talent -- Sheila is too old (at 29!), Connie is too short, Kristine and Al can't sing. Even those who get in aren't entirely happy stories: Val didn't get roles until she got plastic surgery, Cassie is settling for chorus because she's desperate to dance, and at least one of the trio of Bobby, Mike, and Richie -- not bad guys, just somewhat frivolous sorts -- gets in because Paul has to drop out.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to, and that he often outright said that he'd ''"married beneath him"''. Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because, even though her mother was trying to comfort her, Bebe could already tell that this was just an effort to spare her feelings since nobody gets called "different" or "special" for no reason, especially when they've been told that they're ugly; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to, and that he often outright said that he'd ''"married beneath him"''. Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

** The ones eliminated are Don, Greg, Al, Kristine, Bebe, Sheila, Connie, and Maggie, and Paul is disqualified. The reasons are sad too, since they're largely unrelated to their talent -- Sheila is too old (at 29!), Connie is too short, Kristine and Al can't sing. Even those who get in aren't entirely happy stories: Val didn't get roles until she got plastic surgery, Cassie is settling for chorus because she's desperate to dance, and at least one of the trio of Bobby, Mike, and Richie -- not bad guys, just somewhat frivolous sorts -- gets in because Paul has to drop out.

* ''A Chorus Line'' is one of the saddest musicals ever made, about the art of making a musical. First you learn everybody's backstory, then you see that all the years, all the physical exertion, all the isolation they put themselves through, amounts to being that fifth dancer in the sparkly spats, doing backup for the main star, absolutely unrecognizable. In addition, after spending the whole play getting to know all 17 of these unique characters, you remember that only eight of them will make the final cut in the end. The others are just unceremoniously sent home, still unemployed, still looking for a show to do, still starving as performers, and rejected after spending over two hours telling the director about themselves. The ones eliminated are Don, Greg, Al, Kristine, Bebe, Sheila, Connie, and Maggie, and Paul is disqualified after spraining his leg. The reasons for the casting tend to be sad too -- cut for being too old (at 29!) or too short, or cast because you got plastic surgery or were willing to take a step down just to work as a dancer. And at least one of the guys -- not bad sorts, just somewhat frivolous about dancing -- gets in because Paul has to drop out.
* Paul's monologue. Then he snaps a hamstring, has to get surgery he certainly can't afford, and we never learn if he managed to rebuild his career.
* Sheila is among the oldest of the auditioners, about to turn ''thirty'', and her attitude is one of deep cynicism and weariness. TruthInTelevision: ''That'' is a dancer's life - high burnout rate, early retirement. She doesn't make the final cut at the end. At that point, she's probably ready to just give up entirely - or, on a happier note, become a choreographer herself like Zach, a failed dancer.
* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to, and that he often outright said that he'd ''"married beneath him"''. Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* ''A Chorus Line'' is one of the saddest musicals ever made, about the art of making a musical. First you learn everybody's backstory, then you see that all the years, all the physical exertion, all the isolation they put themselves through, amounts to being that fifth dancer in the sparkly spats, doing backup for the main star, absolutely unrecognizable. In addition, after spending the whole play getting to know all 17 of these unique characters, you remember that only eight of them will make the final cut in the end. The others are just unceremoniously sent home, still unemployed, still looking for a show to do, still starving as performers, and rejected after spending over two hours telling the director about themselves. The ones eliminated are Don, Greg, Al, Kristine, Bebe, Sheila, Connie, and Maggie, and Paul is disqualified after spraining his leg.
** The reasons for the casting tend to be sad too -- cut for being too old (at 29!) or too short, or cast because you got plastic surgery or were willing to take a step down just to work as a dancer. And at least one of the guys -- not bad sorts, just somewhat frivolous about dancing -- gets in because Paul has to drop out.

* By 1991, only a year after it ended its original Broadway run, four of the five creators had passed away (Michael Bennett and Edward Kleban in 1987, James Kirkwood in 1989, and Nicholas Dante in 1991). Bennett and Dante both died from AIDS. The last creator, Music/MarvinHamlisch, would pass on in 2012, 22 years after the show's OBC ended and just before its West End revival. This also happened to Cameron Mason of the OBC, the original Mark Anthony, several of the replacement casts in Broadway, LA and touring productions (both regulars and understudies), as well as a few who appeared in the 1985 movie adaptation.
* On a meta level, there's the fact that pretty much all the stories the dancers tell of their lives were legitimately TruthInTelevision for Michael Bennett and his friends, including Paul's monologue (based on the life experiences of Nicholas Dante), Sheila's mother finding another woman's earrings in her husband's car, Maggie's father walking out on her and her mother just after she was born... In a lot of these cases, the stories have been taken almost verbatim from the tapes of the initial meeting - and, barring the odd amusing anecdote, the tapes themselves are certainly no picnic to listen to.
** They also received no royalties for their stories, having been persuaded to sign over the rights for a dollar each. Quite a few of them, in hindsight, wished they hadn't been so trusting... or at least, that they'd hired a lawyer.

* Paul's monologue. Then his career is over when he snaps a hamstring.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to, and that he often outright said that he'd '"married beneath him"'. Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to, and that he often outright said that he'd "married beneath him". Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself), who had given up her career in dance (her main joy) because he wanted her to. Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself). Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be ''"very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'"'' and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" is often a euphemism for "ugly"; ''"Now, 'different' is nice, but it sure isn't pretty, 'pretty' is what it's about. I've never net anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out"''. As a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Sheila's cold, self-absorbed father effectively played on her mother's insecurities that she would end up an "old maid" (at age 22) to get her to marry him and, when Sheila was five, she saw her mother finding the earrings of other women in the car; Sheila's father was clearly much warmer to his trysts than he was to Sheila's mother (or to Sheila, herself). Bebe's mother always told Bebe that she would be "very attractive, when I grew up... 'different,' she said, 'with a special something and a very very personal flair'" and, at age 8 or 9, Bebe resented her mother because she could already tell that "different" was a euphemism for "ugly" and that, as a result, she only ever felt beautiful as a ballerina. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance. At the very end of the show, all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it.

* ''A Chorus Line'' is one of the saddest musicals ever made, about the art of making a musical. First you learn everybody's backstory, then you see that all the years, all the physical exertion, all the isolation they put themselves through, amounts to being that fifth dancer in the sparkly spats, doing backup for the main star, absolutely unrecognizable.
** In addition, after spending the whole play getting to know all 17 of these unique characters, you remember that only eight of them will make the final cut in the end. The others are just unceremoniously sent home, still unemployed, still looking for a show to do, still starving as performers, and rejected after spending over two hours telling the director about themselves. [[spoiler: The ones eliminated are Don, Greg, Al, Kristine, Bebe, Sheila, Connie, and Maggie, and Paul is disqualified after spraining his leg.]]
* Paul's monologue.
** Then his career is over when he snaps a hamstring.
* Sheila is among the oldest of the auditioners, about to turn ''thirty'', and her attitude is one of deep cynicism and weariness. TruthInTelevision: ''That'' is a dancer's life - high burnout rate, early retirement. [[spoiler:She doesn't make the final cut at the end. At that point, she's probably ready to just give up entirely - or, on a happier note, become a choreographer herself like Zach, a failed dancer.]]
* "At the Ballet". Maggie, Bebe, and Sheila sing about how they loved the ballet because their lives growing up were awful, and everything on stage was ''perfect'' and ''beautiful''. Maggie talks about how her father left after she was born because it didn't change his desire to divorce - her fantasy ballet has her father asking if she'd like to dance.
** At the very end of the show, [[spoiler: all three girls (or two out of three, in the film) are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it]].
* "What I Did For Love". ''Christ.''
--> ''Kiss today goodbye, and point me to tomorrow...''
** The song was chosen as Music/MarvinHamlisch's epitaph.

* By 1991, only a year after it ended its original Broadway run, 4 of the 5 creators had passed away (Michael Bennett and Edward Kleban in 1987, James Kirkwood in 1989, and Nicholas Dante in 1991). Bennett and Dante both died from AIDS. The last creator, Music/MarvinHamlisch, would pass on in 2012, 22 years after the show's OBC ended and just before its West End revival.
** This also happened to Cameron Mason of the OBC, the original Mark Anthony, several of the replacement casts in Broadway, LA and touring productions (both regulars and understudies), as well as a few who appeared in the 1985 movie adaptation.

** At the very end of the show, [[spoiler: all three girls are eliminated and sent home, along with the others who didn't make it]].

* ''A Chorus Line is one of the saddest musicals ever made, about the art of making a musical. First you learn everybody's backstory, then you see that all the years, all the physical exertion, all the isolation they put themselves through, amounts to being that fifth dancer in the sparkly spats, doing backup for the main star, absolutely unrecognizable.