The cast of Broadway’s CHICAGO.
Photo by Jeremy
CHICAGO, The Musical: Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. SHN Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market at Hyde Street, San Francisco.
www.shnsf.com or 888-746-1799. NOVEMBER 7 – 16, 2014
CHICAGO the Musical lights up the Orpheum Stage. [rating: 3]
When Chicago, The Musical burst onto the Broadway stage in 1976, the opening number “All That Jazz” had finger snapping Chita Rivera as Velma leading the ensemble. Her costars were Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart and Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn. The Tony Award winning 1997 revival was equally populated with stars including Ann Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth and James Naughton. The not-to-be-out-done movie version included Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger and Richard Gere. It was nominated for a slew of awards winning the Best Picture Award. In that movie, that is still fresh in the minds of many, accolades went to John C. Reilly as Amos Hart and Queen Latifah as Matron “Mama” Morton.
Following such an illustrious group of actors this national road show is at a disadvantage since their time on stage will be compared with the previous unforgettable performances. Even though most of the starring cast performs with class and superb energy the total evening was marred by second level characters that are designed to compliment the leads and add raucous humor to the proceedings.
Humor is paramount to the show since it is a satire of the judicial system and sad reflection on the prohibition era populous of Chicago that cheered for basically unsavory (but maybe loveable in a macabre sort of way) characters. The first baddy we meet in prison is Velma Kelly (Terra C. MacLeod) who murdered both her husband and her sister when she found them in bed together. She welcomes the audience singing and dancing (finger snapping) with “All That Jazz” and a great ensemble backup.
Next up we meet, married in name only to Amos (Jacob Keith Watson), Roxie Hart (Bianca Marroquin), who pumps multiple bullets into her lover who is going to leave her. She is thrown into the hoosegow controlled by Matron “mama” Morton (Roz Ryan ) who, for the right price, can get the ‘girls’ anything they wish. “Mama”, despite the consternation of Zelma arranges for Roxie to be defended by notoriously successful handsome lawyer Billy Flynn (John O’Hurley).
Before that happens the ‘girls’ tell their stories in the hilarious grotesque “Cell Block Tango”. Billy makes his gala entrance with a Busby Berkeley type dance number replete with huge white feathered fans manipulated by the girls in “All I Care About [is love]). The final main character is news/radio reporter Marry Sunshine (C. Newcomer) whose external personality is sung with “A Little Bit of Good.’
The story line is carried out in appropriately named songs with a plethora of energetic dances with Roxie and Velma physically intertwining with the ensemble keeping a fast and furious pace. In Act 2 there is another Billy/John O’Hurley production number with the girls that is the marvelous “Razzle Dazzle.” The penultimate dance of the evening by our two female stars “Hot Honey Rag” allows you to leave the theatre with a bounce in your step.
Terra C. MacLeod’s Velma is really great and outshines Bianca Marroquin’s Roxie. Roz Ryan is miscast as Matron “mama” Morton and seems embarrassed in her duet with MacLeod of “Class.” Jacob Keith Watson plays nerdy Amos to perfection but is misdirected in his solo “Mister Cellophane” that should be a show stopper. As for C. Newcomer as Mary Sunshine, all is not what it seems.
Even with all the caveats the show is well worth visiting or revisiting. The dancing, staging and lighting with the excellent 15 piece onstage band are excellent. Running time 2 hours and 15 minutes with an intermission.
Cast: Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart, Terra C. MacLeod as Velma, John O’Hurley as Billy, Jacob Keith Watson as Amos, Roz Ryan as “Mama”, C. Newcomer as Mary Sunshine.
Artistic Staff: Supervising Music Director, Rob Fisher; Music Director, Robert Billig
Scenic Design, John Lee Beatty; Costume Design, William Ivey Long; Lighting Design, Ken Billington; Sound Design, Scott Lehrer; Orchestrations , Ralph Burns ; Dance Music Arrangements, Peter Howard; Choreographer Original New York Production, Ann Reinking, in the style of Bob Fosse; Re-creation of Original Production Choreography by David Bushman; Director Original New York Production, Walter Bobbie; Re-creation of Original Production, Direction by David Hyslop
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.
