The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use.

In 1974, Kelly Bishop (then known as Carole Bishop) was almost 30, unemployed, and in an unhappy marriage. Despite loving life as a chorus dancer in New York, she knew she was unlikely to continue working beyond the age of 35. Hoping to transition into acting, she gave herself a two-year deadline to achieve her goal.

Bishop received a call from the Broadway dancer Tony Stevens that changed her life. Tony and his partner, Michon Peacock, wanted to create opportunities for Broadway dancers by forming a co-operative company. He invited Bishop to a workshop at a dance studio, mentioning that Michael Bennett, a famous Broadway writer, director, and choreographer, would be observing. Bishop respected Bennett professionally, but there had been tension between them in the past: In 1967, while working as a chorus dancer in the musical Promises, Promises, Bishop confronted Bennett when he ridiculed her during a rehearsal.

At the workshop, Bennett asked the group to share their experiences as professional dancers. He recorded the participants as they talked about their backgrounds, their love of dance, and their dreams. Bennett wanted to create a musical called A Chorus Line “based on dancers’ experiences and their audition processes” (9).