Storyline: A vaudeville of songs and
skits, each of which adds to the narrative of a simple story about two women
in prohibition-era Chicago who achieve celebrity from jail as they await
trial on their separate murder charges. Their notoriety is ultimately
eclipsed by even more spectacular crimes but they manage to break into show
business when their sleazy lawyer gets them off by doing a little
razzle-dazzle on the juries.
The score by John Kander and Fred Ebb (who are also represented on
Broadway right now with a great revival of Cabaret) is one of the
most exciting, varied and jazziest scores available on Broadway today.
Enough of the style and feel of Bob Fosse’s original choreography was
retained to make Chicago uniquely exciting. Walter Bobbie’s direction
was and remains sleek and clearly focused, allowing the telling of the story
through twenty scenes, each one a song in a specific genre all moving the
story along but, at the same time, commenting on the decadent world of
underworld Chicago of the 1920’s.
Chicago has been blessed with very strong leads for both the original
run (Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, Jerry Orbach) and the revival (Ann Reinking,
Bebe Neuwirth, James Naughton, Joel Grey) and the replacements as the years
go by continue to be very strong as well. Right now Broadway has Belle
Calaway who won the Helen Hayes Award here when she was headlining the tour
as well as Roxane Carrasco in the two "merry murderesses" roles.
Even the ensemble is first rate, each dancer executing the very demanding
athletic routines with all the precision they desire.
Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse.
Directed by Walter Bobbie. Choreography by Ann Reinking. Music Direction by
Robert Billig. Orchestrations by Ralph Burns. Design: John Lee Beatty (set)
Ken Billington (lights) William Ivey Long (costumes) Scott Lehrer (sound.)
