Jeremy Daniel
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 50 years since Chicago opened on Broadway, actually under the title Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville because of the show’s structure and the fact that many of the characters were based on well-known performers of the era — the 1920s. The version of the show ran for 936 performances and closed in August 1977. The show was revived on Broadway in 1996 as Chicago the Musical … and is still playing today, the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The 1975 production was nominated for 11 Tony Awards but was totally shut out, while the revival scored eight nominations and won six, including Best Revival of a Musical, at the time a record for a revival. And we can’t forget the hit 2002 movie musical adaptation that scored a Best Picture Oscar. The show has been staged in the UK and around the world, and has had at least ten national tours since it first opened. The latest tour, which launched in 2022, is nearing its end with one of its last stops in Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre (not to worry though because the show will be on the road again in 2026 with a currently scheduled stop in Washington DC).
As mentioned, Chicago is set in the 1920s and is actually based on a 1926 play of the same name, which was adapted into a silent film in 1927 by Cecil B. DeMille. That film was remade with sound (but not as a musical) in 1942, retitled Roxy Hart, starring Ginger Rogers. The story focuses on illicit affairs, murder and the desire for fame as Roxy Hart murders the man she’d been having an affair with, then lets her husband confess to the killing under the guise that he shot a burglar, but once Amos Hart realizes he knows the man he shot and puts the pieces together, Roxy has to confess and is sent to prison. There she encounters Velma Kelly, a vaudeville performer in the clink for murdering her husband and sister after she caught them having sex … but she claims to have blacked out when she saw them and has no idea who could have committed such a crime (even though she mentions in the ‘Cell Block Tango’ number washing the blood from her hands). The prison is run by Matron ‘Mama’ Morton, who sees the job more as a way to enrich herself by helping her girls and in Velma’s case, talking to agents and bookers for her show once she’s set free. Mama has also helped secure the services of lawyer Billy Flynn, the best in the business at getting his clients set free (through lots and lots of subterfuge), for Velma as well as planting stories in the press to keep Velma’s name hot. That all changes when the new murderess of the week shows up in the form of Roxy, and as her star rises and Billy begins to focus on her rather than Velma. But by the end of Act I, there’s a new killer in town and Roxy needs to think of something quick to remain the hottest news so she can become the star she always wanted to be so … she claims to be pregnant. And that sets off a whole chain reaction of events leading up to Roxy’s trial, while Velma listens to the world pass her by. But will Roxy be acquitted before the next murder takes place in Chicago? Will she learn, as Velma has, that fame is fleeting? Can these two put their differences aside and find a way to work together?
Chicago the Musical still works five decades after its debut. While the story by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse is interesting and really is a scathing look at the grab for fame (and the show’s structure was actually off-putting to 1975 audiences with characters breaking the fourth wall), it’s the songs by Kander and Ebb that carry the show and have made it such a classic: ‘All That Jazz’, ‘Cell Block Tango’, ‘When You’re Good to Mama’, ‘We Both Reached for the Gun’, ‘I Can’t Do It Alone’, ‘My Own Best Friend’, ‘Me and My Baby’, ‘Mister Cellophane’, ‘Razzle Dazzle’, ‘Hot Honey Rag’. The show is just packed to the brim with songs that you will be humming on your way out of theatre and probably for days later.
Jeremy Daniel
Of course you have to have outstanding performers who can sing those songs well, and handle the precision of the choreography inspired by Bob Fosse’s original work (the revival was choreographed by the great Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, and she should know since she was in the show (Gregory Butler handles the re-creation of the original production choreography for this production). In the original version of the show, Roxy was the star, but once Chita Rivera came on board as Velma, the role was expanded to give them equal footing, which probably works in the show’s favor giving Roxy someone to butt heads with. For this tour, Ellie Roddy takes on the role of Roxy, the more complicated of the two characters as she has to play a gamut of emotions from killer to frightened wife to all on her own prisoner to a schemer looking for any way out of her situation. Roddy does a great job with Roxy’s character arc, even making the audience feel a bit sympathetic for her at the end as she becomes yesterday’s news. She has a terrific voice and does a great job with Roxy’s song, and gives a particularly energetic performance in the ‘We Both Reached for the Gun’ number as she has to act as a ventriloquist dummy, mouthing the words that Billy Flynn is actually singing during a press interview. Equally strong, perhaps even overshadowing Roddy just a bit because she gets more of the Fosse-style choreo, is Taylor Lane as Velma. Lane manages to make Velma the more sympathetic character — even though we all know she committed those murders — as she begins to see not only her fame, but possibly her life slipping away with the arrival of Roxy. As Billy pushes her to the side, she begins to wonder if she’ll make it out of that prison. Lane also has a great voice, and she gets to really show off all of her talents in the ‘When Velma Takes the Stand’ number, fully of singing and acrobatic choreography that set the stage on fire (and a tip of the hat to Bernie Ardia for keeping Lane’s wig firmly in place as she flips her head back). The two women never really get to perform together until the end of Act I, but they are still singing separately, but they really do interact in their final Act II song, ‘Nowadays’, their voices blending in perfect harmony. These are two wonderful performances that bring Roxy and Velma to life.
Connor Sullivan is also terrific as Billy Flynn, a very self-assured man who knows his reputation precedes him and isn’t about to let any of his clients derail his plans. He knows his schtick works, and Sullivan brings all that confidence to the role. He also makes it quite clear he’s only in this for the money (‘All I Care About’) and has no shame in giving the jurors that old ‘Razzle Dazzle’ to get what he wants. Sullivan handles Flynn’s manipulative character with ease, almost making him the villain of the show. Also a standout is Illeana ‘illy’ Kirven as ‘Mama’ Morton, belting out ‘When You’re Good to Mama’ to thunderous applause from the audience, and making Mama a not-ruthless prison matron. Yeah, she’s working ‘her girls’ to enrich herself, but she also shows a softer, dare we say motherly, side to the character in her relationship with Velma, especially after her star falls from the sky. Then there is Andrew Metzger as Amos Hart, the poor schlub totally blinded by his love for Roxy, too easily manipulated by Billy, and with just enough self-esteem to realize no one ever notices him (‘Mister Cellophane’). The character could just be a punchline throughout the show, but Metzger does give Amos enough personality that makes the audience root for him to do better in his life. Another notable character is the tabloid reporter Mary Sunshine, usually played by D. Fillinger, but was played by E. Morales at the opening night performance. Morales’ voice is astounding, hitting some impressive high notes which is all the more remarkable in an Act II ‘surprise’.
Jeremy Daniel
Even with the main actors, Chicago the Musical depends heavily on its ensemble, dancing their way through the show and taking on speaking roles as well. Lindsay Lee Alhady (Hunyak), Faith Jordan Candino (Mona), Eliza Levy (Liz), Christina Youngblood (Annie), Angelliz M. Rosado Ramos (June) join Lane’s Velma in the iconic ‘Cell Block Tango’ as The Murderesses. Brad Weatherford is the unfortunate Fred Casely, whom Roxy murders at the top of the show (but he returns in a sort of flashback moment and does a really impressive handstand, as well as acts out Roxy’s version of his murder at her trial); Christopher Cline plays a reporter and Sergeant Fogarty; and Chase McFadden plays the entire jury at Roxy’s trial. And this is in addition to all of the dancing they do in the musical numbers. The ensemble also includes Jason Carroll, Josh England, Robert Facchin, Zoie Lee, Simeon Rawls and Timothy Scott Brausch (with Ryan McInnes filling in for him on opening night).
David Hyslop has re-created the revival’s direction by Walter Bobbie, making good use of the very static stage setting, which is just basically an orchestra on stage in elevated sections with actors coming on stage either through the orchestra structure or from behind and along the sides. It’s also interesting that most of the ensemble, when not participating in a number, are sitting on stage on either side of the orchestra (amusingly at one point seeming to have fallen asleep during Amos’ ‘Mister Cellophane’ number). Two ladders are also used on either side of the stage for Roxy and Velma to climb, and the rest of the set dressing consists of just an American flag during the trial and a glittery curtain for the finale. It’s all very simple but effective, really aided by the wonderful lighting design by Ken Billington. William Ivey Long’s costumes are … black for the most part, with various degrees of sheerness, depending on who is wearing them, and some very form-fitting stretch pants, particularly for the men. The black costumes may seem unremarkable, but they are designed in such a way to really inform the character of the performer wearing them. The orchestra, conducted by Cameron Blake Kinnear, is also spectacular and gets some well-deserved attention during the Act II Entr’acte.
Chicago the Musical is still a great piece of entertainment fifty years later thanks to its extremely catchy tunes, and this production is a standout in general thanks to a wildly talented cast that can sing and dance with the best of them, and a behind-the-scenes crew that makes this run like a well-oiled machine. Catch it while you can!
Chicago the Musical runs about 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission. May be inappropriate for 12 and under.
Chicago the Musical runs through June 8 at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre. Remaining cities on the current schedule include New Orleans and Miami. Visit the official website for more information. Use our Ticketmaster link to purchase tickets.
Chicago – National Tour (2025)
Chicago the Musical
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