Karen Prunzik (Prunczik) Music and the Mirror

[718700jcw]

Truly heartfelt, passionate and just amazing in my opinion, it can't compare to many of the other cassie's..broadway and otherwise....there is so much natural emotion and realism in her acting.... in her cassie.. that you dont see in most if not all of the others..to me it is the acting that stands out the most in comparison...but .a true beautiful talent in dancing singing acting....<3..xo

[AsiaMs]

Love her energy and her turns and her extensions on every movement and the passion for dancing.

[BaggyJeansBoy]

Awwwwesome!!! What company is this? Was this a sit down company in Hawaii? Tour? Regional?

[rlee1976]

Karen, I hope you know, I cry every time I watch this! I'm a singer and I want to sing so badly and I'm going through a rough period, trying to prove myself at an older age (I'm 34) and I completely connect with this piece and Cassie's desperation... God, you danced your ass off in this!

[theethmannnn]

amazing

[hopeybaby250]

yeahhh miss karen!!!!!!!

[theatermaster23]

oh my god her turns at 1:57!!!

[funfan10011]

YESSSSS!!!!

[LesMisere]

Out of all the performances up on YouTube (and those I've seen live) this woman comes the closest to nailing it. In fact, she does nail it. But she's the closest to dancing it as good as Donna did. She's fantastic!

[Saigon10185]

WOW!! Shes amazing. Is she from Hawaii?

[purser131]

fantastic dancer.....up there with Donna M and Cheryl Clark.

[rlee1976]

This can't be topped except of course by the one and only Donna. She has the elegance needed and the balletic mixed with the jazz required for this piece, unlike the dancers they hired for the Bway revival.

[crackstep]

I and many others agree. Thanks for your comment.

[crackstep]

So? What do you think?

[rlee1976]

At 5:05, this video starts buffering, wtf? wtf?

[crackstep]

Please be a little more specific regarding buffering????

[MorganLaFaye666]

I never saw a Cassie like her!!!! she is fantastic!

[jacknewsie1]

i started crying hahahahaha

i absolutely loved it, an amazing performance, she does it beautifully!

[aclnyc2008]

OMFG she's flawless!!

[diannemelodia]

Easily the CLEANEST dancer out of all the Cassies on youtube, (including Donna McKechnie).

[triplethreatx333]

that quad at 1:58 is beautiful! i just like to watch it over and over again. i bet she could've done more turns if she'd wanted to

[tabbi119]

What I think Karen conveys in this - is JOY. Cassie's dance is long and is, in many ways, a test....but this version has exuberance! Every actress who interprets the part will do it differently, and not many can sustain an 8 minute solo! Like all great parts it can be done in many ways (ask Shakespeare) but I love Karen's OPTIMISM in this one.

[Hoofer26]

Couldn't agree more! that's what I said! what commitment!

[BroadwayMagic02]

WOW!!! I saw Donna and the original 3 times in the first three years and of course nothing can compare to that historical performance but this is such fine acting and brilliant committed hoofing that I get chills! I know Ms.P. had been on the boards often in her early career (42nd St I think as Annie)and every dance role she could find. God I would have loved seeing this performance.

[Hoofer26]

What a fantastic turner she is... such commitment

[mytimesteps]

Karen is by far one of the best Cassies I have ever seen since Donna. Her voice is ok, and it doesn't matter because she "gets" the routine. watch her at starting at 3:50 & then right at 4:05. I got chills, much like when Donna performed it. Her quad turn in the opening is amazing and all the other turns thru out the dance are tight and beautifully executed. see some of Karen's other posts here on you tube. she really is amazing. Still, Donna is my #1.

[aromaticchicken]

way better than charlotte

[DaveinPS]

I have seen LOTS of Cassies on B'way, tours (including Nikki on the current tour) and on YouTube. There is no doubt in my mind that with the possible exception of Donna McK, Karen dances this role better than anyone. She hits such beautiful positions. And the quad turn at the beginning is spectacular! Her singing is not inspired -- but not terrible either. Such a gift to have this video for us Chorus Line fans to appreciate the talents of this unique and gifted performer: Karen Prunczik!

[vellure]

That quad pirroutte is EXTREMELY difficult to execute especially if you are to perform in a chorus line. Most cassies can pull up to 3, I don't know anyone else who did 4 in such perfect stature

[SDFWicked20]

amazing

[jackrenglish]

great......jack english..bev hills.

[SammmG05]

Her voice isn't strong, but her dancing is wonderful. Thank you for posting! I'm playing Cassie in ACL this April, and I'm learning the original choreography... the only videos I can find of Donna are extremely bad quality, so this is very helpful (though I've noticed lots of discrepancies between the two versions)

[broadwaymac486]

That was just fantastic to watch!

[LickTheLidx]

10 out of 10! i salute you! an i love that woman! she hasnt got an AMAZING voice but she sure can dance and i think she represents cassie so well and the slow bit was fantastic.. done really well.

[lf1234]

Got any other clips from this production?

[feralexgonzal]

Well, not bad, but, the last friday I saw this same preformance by a great mexican choreographers; she is Teresa Guillen, and is amazing and so beautiful

[Elphabo]

I'm one of the people that think no one can compare to Donna, but this girl is amazing. And it's awesome that she was cast as Cassie even though she's not that strong of a singer. A lot of times u see people playing Cassie who can't dance, but sing the song beautifully. I think more people should do what they did and adjust the song before the dancing. Whether TMATM is in the same key Donna sang it in is not nearly as important as doing impressive choreography.

[b0b3rt831]

hehe i love her, she's crazy!

[Jonseyboydanny]

the chereography was too repetitive i got bored after a short while

[cabaretlover]

i guess you find michael bennett too repetitive then. ha./

[Jonseyboydanny]

well if tht was his chereograohy then yes atually i do.

[cabaretlover]

tell somebody this and that you enjoy theatre in the same line and you wil either get spat on or laughed at. ha

michael bennett was one of the great choreographers, and this show is one of those shows that is in history and known world wide. shame on you for not knowing how important it is.

[Jonseyboydanny]

No I do!

Ive done this show three different time here in england its a fantastic show but i still agree with what i said!

[jsct66]

Brilliant.

[jeffdw1970]

I think she is great, but her movements are too rigid compared to Donna's more fluid like, flawless movements. Just the way Donna holds her arms,hands and fingers are very sensual.

[cabaretlover]

this shouldnt be a battle between karin and donna. i feel she does it justice.  knowing the original choreo. the stuff is real hard. and anybody who can hit a quad, which donna never hit, is ok in my book.

[JarrodCaf]

right? I had to replay it twice to recount because I didn't believe it.

[vellure]

OMG i just realize she was in the movie "A chorus line" as well as a rejected dancer. That's probably why the movie sucked bad.

[macychick]

Wow! I wish i could dance like that!

[LesMisere]

She does a wonderful job with the choreography.

[diego9774]

This is awesome! Finally a clear copy of this incredible number!And Karen kicks butt!!I wish the current cassie danced it like this!

[DIRECT0RzCut]

I'm a 'entertainment businessman from the older generation' so it's no surprise to me that some posts disregard the fact that Gene Kelly spoke of Karen's talents as "She is THE best tapper I've ever worked with"....or Tommy Tune saying "What can I DO with her!?"

Take it from me....YOU WILL NEVER GET A CHANCE TO SEE SUCH A GREAT DANCER IN THIS CENTURY AGAIN.

We've been looking, but no one is like Prunzik.

Not even McKechnie stands up to her. Prunzik dances circles around her.

CIRCLES.

[someforunclejoe]

DIRECT0RzCut, I think Karen is amazing. It's clear you're a big fan of her, but: you're confused.

Also, Kelly is an overrated dancer, star -- e.g., his comparing dancing to football? Xanadu? -- especially in his later years. While Karen was classically and technically great, Donna is modern, special...unique.

[cabaretlover]

no doubt however, that she is the only one on here, besides donna who full out no marking hits the combination with conviction. no giving up from this betch. not to mention, donnas 1988 recording of this (years later) she gives up on the last set of double turns.....dare i say it, prunzik knocks donna out of the park in some aspects. however donnas hands and torso are unparallelled.

[psilva17]

I couldn't agree with you more. Not since Donna have I seen anyone attack this with such fierceness and intensity!! She is amazing and puts Charlotte to complete shame!!!! Donna however is still the queen. I suppose there is something to be said for choreography being created specifically for someone!!

[vellure]

That's what i thought. The technicality of her dancing is much more refine. I tried it, and that 4 piroutte was difficult to pull for a 6 minute routine. I don't think any other cassie actor ever did what karen did.

[bella21389]

she's awesome but i don't really see her desperation in wanting the job.

[22simonlrgs]

Close but no cigar

[wheelteach]

very nice, but she's no Mckechnie.

[spklneelyspkl]

amen sister

[IHEARTxoKPRUNZ]

WOOOOOOOT! GO KAREN

KICK THEIR BUTT

[ahmelie14]

Wonderful dancing, but you can tell she learned this from a video of McKechnie, it's practically a carbon-copy.

[cabaretlover]

actually, any good production of chorus line is technically a "CARBON COPY" most directors use the bennett bible, which is all original staging and choreo, down to where each character stands for each dance number. i think a piece of history like this deserves nothing less than this treatment.

[broadwaybaby05]

BEST CASSIE SOO FAR

[KdanceC]

Karen is the best. if u disagree, ur an idiot

[bossobass]

Oh, hell yes!

[broadwaybaby05]

BEST CASSIE SO FAR! She Gave me chills. SHE CAN DANCE HER BEHIND OFF

[rithosyke]

this is a terrific piece of footage. Not only has Karen demonstrated Cassie's isolation and depair, she has taken the Bennett blueprint and hit all the marks, she has tweaked it in a way that has made it her own.  My only regret is the end is cut off: we need to hear the applause because Karen has demonstrated the risk of staking a claim to a second chance. Beautiful.

[kimokao]

woo hoo great! I loved the quad and the mckechnie layout :)