I Hope I Get It

"I Hope I Get It" is the first musical number in A Chorus Line and is performed by the whole company.

Lyrics
Zach Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Again... Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Right! That connects with Turn, turn, out, in, jump, step, Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch... Got it? Going on And... turn, turn, touch down, back step

(Beat) Five, six, seven, eight! Turn, turn, touch, down, back, step (Beat) Five, six, seven, eight! Turn, turn, touch down, back step Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk The last part is... Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk Reviewing from the last turn Five, six, seven, eight! Turn, turn, touch, down, back, step, Pivot, step, walk, walk, walk. Right, let's do the whole combination Facing away from the mirror From the top! a-Five, six, seven, eight!

(Group turns to face front and does the entire combination.)

Zach: Okay, let's do the ballet combination one more time. Boys and girls together. Don't kill yourselves. Mark. A one, tow, three, four, five, six!

(Larry demonstrates the combination downstage center. The group marks the combination in various degrees.)

Zach: Okay, I'm going to put you into your groups now. When I call out your number, I'll tell you where you're gonna be in the formation.

Judy: Oh, God, I don't remember my number.

Zach: Right, when I find a number without a person, it's you.

Zach: Okay, girls first. Number two, downstage. Number nine, upstage. Number ten, downstage. And number Twenty-three, upstage. Twenty-three? Judy Turner.

Judy: Twenty-three.

Zach: Stage left, girls. Second group. Number Thirty-seven, downstage. Number sixty, upstage...

(Zach goes into pantomime, continuing to form groups, as the others sing.)

Group: (Note: Cassie does not sing in the opening number) God, I hope I get it, I hope I get it! How many people does he need? How many people does he need? God, I hope I get it! I hope I get it! How may boys, how many girls How many boys, how many... Look at all the people, at all the people How many people does he need? How many boys, how many girls? How many people does he...

Tricia I really need this job. Please, God, I need this job. I've got to get this job.

(Zach comes out of pantomime.)

Zach: Third group of boys. Number sixty-three downstage. Number sixty-seven, upstage. Number eighty-one, downstage. And number eighty-four, upstage. Okay boys, stage left. Let's do the ballet combination. First group of girls, second group follow. One, two, three, four, five, six...

(First group of girls steps out and begin the ballet combination.)

Zach: Diana, you're dancing with your tongue again.

Diana: Sorry...

(She falls out of a turn.)

Diana: Shit.

Zach: Next group... and...

(Second group of girls steps out and begins the combination.)

Zach You! Any ballet?

Vicki: No.

Zach: Don't dance... DON'T DANCE!

(Vicki leaves group, the rest of the group finishes the combination.)

Zach:Next group, and...

(The third group of girls begins the combination. Tricia dances so big, she winds up in front of Sheila, Sheila exchanges a glance with Zach.)

Zach: Boys! And...

(First group of boys begins the combination.)

Zach: Up... up... up... Hold it. Hold it. Stop! (To Roy) How many years ballet?

Roy One.

Zach: Any Broadway shows?

Roy No.

Zach: (Demonstrating) The arms are second, down, fourth. I wanna see it. Again. One, two, three, four, five, six...

(First group of boys completes the combination. Roy makes the same mistakes.)

Zach: Next Group: And...

(Second group begins the combination.)

Zach: (To Frank) Boy in the headband, keep your head up. Headband, head up!

(Frank acknowledges his instruction, but continues to look down.)

Zach: And...

(Zach goes into pantomime. The first group of girls steps out to do the jazz combination. Maggie, in pantomime, asks Zach to demonstrate part of the combination. Zach demonstrates, while the rest of the group sings.)

Group: God, I really blew it, I really blew it! How could I do a thing like that?

Boys: How could I do a thing like... ?

Group: Now, I'll never make it. I'll never make it! He doesn't like the way I look. He doesn't like the way I dance. He doesn't like the way I...

(First group of girls begins the jazz combination. When they are finished...)

Zach: (To Kristine) Girl in brown, much better but still too much tension face, neck, and shoulders. Relax. Five, six, seven, eight...

(Second Group begins the combination. Vicki waves frantically to Zach.)

Vicki Hold it! Hold it! I think I know the steps but could you have someone do it in front please?

Zach: Larry...

(Larry takes position down right of the Group.)

Zach: Five, six, seven, eight.

(They dance with Larry. When they finish, the third group of girls takes position.)

Zach: Next group. A five, six, seven, eight... (To Val, who is dancing behind Sheila) Dance out... Dance out! (To Group) Hold it. Hold it. Stop! (To Sheila) Sheila, do me a favor, you dance upstage. (To Val) You downstage.

(Sheila gives up her spot for Val, the group gets back into position.)

Zach: A five, six, seven, eight...

(They do the combination. Sheila misses a turn and tries to get back into the combination. She gives up and walks off as the girls dance off.)

Zach: Sheila, do you know the combination?

Sheila: I knew it when I was in the front.

Zach: Okay, first group of boys. A Five, six, seven eight!

(They start the combination. Al and Butch both make different mistakes.)

Zach: Hold it, hold it, stop! (To Al, demonstrating) The step is, down step, pivot step. Not pivot step, pivot step, right? You chewing gum? Get rid of it.

(Al runs off stage to give gum to Kristine. Zach talks to Butch.)

Zach: It's step, step, up cross, turn from there... Okay, got it? Again. Five, six, seven, eight!

(They complete the combination. Al corrects his mistake, Butch does not.)

Zach Next group. A five, six, seven, eight!

(Second group of boys begins the combination. Richie leaps out of the formation in front of Paul. Zach, who has started to cross the stage, catches him in midair.)

Zach: Listen, that's really great, but stay in the formation and tone it down. Okay? Boy in the headband, keep your head up. A five, six, seven, eight...

(They complete the combination)

Zach: Next group. A five, six, seven, eight.

(Third group of boys dances the combination perfectly. End of combination overlaps with the beginning of vocal.)

Group: I really need this job. Please God, I need this job. I've got to get this job.

Zach: (To Vicki) Any Broadway shows?

Vicki: No.

Zach: (To Tricia) Broadway shows?

Tricia: Touring company.

Zach: Okay, I'm eliminating down. When I call out your number Please form a line. Girls first. Number two, number nine, number ten, number twenty-three, Judy Turner? Right. Number thirty-seven, one hundred forty-nine, one hundred fifty-two, one hundred seventy-nine... Cassie.

(Diana, Connie, Kristine, Judy, Bebe, Maggie, Sheila step out and form a line. Val goes to Sheila then decides to cross to end of line next to Diana. Cassie steps out and stands next to Sheila.)

Zach: Other girls. Thank you very much for coming. I'm sorry.

(Other girls exit)

Zach: Boys. Number five, number seventeen, number forty-four, forty-five, sixty-three, sixty-seven, eighty-one, and eighty-four.

(Al, Don, Richie, Paul, Mark, Mike, Greg, and Bobby step out to form a line behind girls.)

Zach: Other boys, thank you.

(Other boys exit)

Zach: Larry...

Group: God, I think I've got it. I think I've got it! I knew he liked me all the time.

Zach: I want your pictures and resumes, please.

(As they go to their bags to get their pictures and resumes.)

Group: Still it isn't over.

Maggie: What's coming next?

Group: It isn't over.

Mike: What happens now?

Group: I can't imagine what he wants.

Girls: I can't imagine what he...

Group: God, I hope I get it. I hope I get it!

(Group gathers around Larry center stage, who indicates that they should form a line upstage.)

Group: I've come this far, but even so: It could be yes, it could be no. How many people does he... ? I really need this job.

A few voices: My unemployment is gone.

Group: Please, God, I need this job.

A few voices: I knew I had it from the start.

Group: I've got to get this show.

(While holding the chord on "show", the line walks downstage to "line". They hold their photos in front of their faces while the chord vamps. The line is - Stage Right to Stage Left - Don, Maggie, Mike, Connie, Greg, Cassie, Sheila, Bobby, Bebe, Judy, Richie, Al, Kristine, Val, Mark, Paul, and Diana. Larry is standing downstage left. After applause-)

Zach: Larry (last chord vamp), Collect their pictures and resumes, please

Paul: Who am I anyway? Am I my resume? That is a picture of a person I don't know. What does he want from me? What should I try to be? So many faces all around and here we go I need this job, Oh God, I need this show.