"Every Little Step," opening today at the Kahala theaters, chronicles the saga of "A Chorus Line," the Broadway backstage musical, from two fronts: the untold confessionals of the first auditioning cast in 1974 and the mounting of the 2006 revival of the show on Broadway.

Filmmakers James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo gained unorthodox access to get behind the scenes and under the skins of folks who strive for 17 roles in Michael Bennett's Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning stage classic.

"Step" hits every aspect of show biz — the desire, preparation, devotion, heartbreak, tears, sweat, final production — with incredible fidelity from two vantage points: Bennett's nontraditional midnight soiree, where auditioners shared tales and thoughts that would ultimately evolve into a script for the 1975 Broadway hit, and the tryouts for the 2006 revival, where 3,000 showed up and only several dozen were tapped to go through the demanding, final audition process.

This documentary puts you front-and-center, from the waits in the long lines to be seen and heard, to the grueling practice and workout to put heart and soul in front of a panel of judges, who will give a yea or a nay. Think "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance?" — but with far more clarity and depth -with the cameras rolling as youngsters prep and primp and agonize about the ultimate audition.

While this casting process is specifically about dancing and singing for a particular show, the implications reach far into other aspects of life: a spelling bee, beauty pageant, football game, job quest, a bid in the Olympics. It's about having a gift and a passion to strut and share, with little guarantees. Some will win, many will lose.

Along the way, the original Donna McKechnie shows up and reminisces about her role of the over-qualified Cassie; we learn that actress Marsha Mason suggested early on that Cassie should land the job (to ultimately perform the "Music and the Mirror" show-stopper) since the original script scrubbed her; Marvin Hamlisch, who wrote the original music, suggests "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" as the fitting title to titillate the audience; we see Charlotte D'Amboise (who earned the Cassie part in the revival) and her dancer-father Jacques D'Amboise (a former New York City Ballet star) in one of the subtext tales of cast members; and Jason Tam, Hawai'i resident, will likely evoke tears with his absorbing and wrenching audition for the part of Paul San Marco.

Happily, there are no scowling Simon Cowells on the judging panel; instead, there's a likeable and grandfatherly Bob Avian (the show's original choreographer, who directed the musical revival) and an endearing beacon named Baayork Lee (who originated the Connie role), who shape and mold the auditioners with the kind of commitment required to learn the show's intricate dance combinations to make the cut.

"Every Little Step" takes its title from the musical's finale, "One" ("One singular sensation, every little step she takes"). If you loved the stage musical, you'll appreciate the portrait of the artists with never-say-die creeds; there are high kicks and plenty of incredible demonstrations of passion. Ultimately, this is a document of the quest for acceptance, one exhausting step at a time.