Tony Tuesday: CHICAGO

This week, we’re back to the 70s for some trailblazing musical theatre. Get your jazz hands out Besties, this week’s TONY Tuesday is:

‘All I Care About is Love’ from Chicago at the 1976 TONY Awards Ceremony. 

One of the most infamous musicals of the modern age, Chicago is a musical based on the play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, which centres on the criminal underworld of the aforementioned city and chronicles the crimes and criminals she reported on. Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, both of whom were based on real life women. Velma is a star of the vaudeville circuit whilst Roxie is aspiring to be so and on the same night, they both commit murder and find themselves embroiled in the trial of the century, becoming stars overnight and doing anything they can to evade the Hangman’s noose. Chicago deals with the concepts of corruption within the justice system and the idea of ‘celebrity criminals’ and the part the media play in the publicity of their trials. 

Actor Gwen Verdon read the play in the 1960s and believing it would be a good subject for a musical, convinced her husband Bob Fosse to try and obtain the rights. Alas, writer Watkins wasn’t keen to have her play musicalised and refused Fosse the rights to her play. However, upon her death, the rights reverted to her estate who sold them to Fosse, Verdon and producer Richard Fryer. The team enlisted duo John Kander and Fred Ebb to pen the score and book. Naturally the team decided the only suitable style for the show was vaudeville, using this form to show the comparison between the two main themes of justice and show business and commenting on the criminals as performers in their own right. The show was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. 

Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now Richard Rodgers,) on 3 June 1975. The original production starred Verdon as Roxie Hart, Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and Barney Martin as Amos Hart. Fosse’s direction of the show was inspired by that of theatrical practitioner Bertolt Brecht, which required the dropping of ‘the fourth wall’. This choice made audiences uncomfortable when watching the show and thus it received mixed reviews and as well as opening in the same season as the juggernaut A Chorus Line, it meant that ticket sales were also a struggle. An operation for Verdon meant potential closure of the show until star Liza Minelli offered to play the role which boosted ticket sales whilst Verdon was recovering. The production closed on 27 August 1977 after a run of just over two years. 

The West End production opened at the Sheffield Crucible in November 1978, before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in London, running from Aprill 1979. This was a non-replica production, which was directed by Peter James and choreographed by Gillian Gregory. Jenny Logan starred as Velma, with Antonia Ellis as Roxie, Ben Cross as Billy Flynn and Don Fellows as Amos Hart. It ran for 600 performances. 

In May 1996, Walter Bobbie directed a production for the New York City Encores series. The production had choreography by Ann Reinking, inspired by Bob Fosse. Reinking had played Roxie during the original run of the production and also reprised her role in the Encores opposite Bebe Neuwirth as Velma, Joel Grey as Amos Hart and James Naughton as Billy Flynn. The production was a hit and within days, there was talk of a Broadway transfer for the production. With some revision, the production opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in November 1996. The revival had a script adaptation by writer David Thompson. The revival was met with praise from critics and audience members, with people feeling the recent trial of O.J Simpson had led people to be more comfortable with the idea of celebrity trials. The production won six 1997 TONY Awards, at the point the most of any revival and is still running today. In February 1997, the production moved to the Shubert Theatre where it played until January 2003 before transferring to its current home of The Ambassadors Theatre. The revival of Chicago is the second longest-running musical in Broadway history and the longest running American musical in Broadway history. 

In 1997, the Broadway revival transferred to the West End starring Ruthie Henshall as Roxie Hart, Ute Lemper as Velma Kelly, Nigel Planer as Amos Hart and Henry Goodman as Billy Flynn. The production won the 1997 Olivier for ‘Outstanding Musical’, with Lemper also winning for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’. The musical opened at the Adelphi Theatre and transferred to The Cambridge in 2006. In 2011, the musical moved for the second time to The Garrick Theatre, before closing at the Garrick in September 2012.  To celebrate the musical’s 21st birthday, it was revived at the Phoenix Theatre for a limited engagement, again starring Ruthie Henshall, this time in the role of Mama Morton, and Cuba Gooding Jr in the role of Billy Flynn. 

Chicago has toured the UK extensively with an upcoming tour slated to start this autumn, as well as numerous tours and productions internationally. 

In 2002, the film adaptation of Chicago premiered to critical acclaim winning several academy awards including that for ‘Best Motion Picture’. The film starred Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma, Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart, Queen Latifah as Mamma Morton, John C. Reilly as Amos Hart and Richard Gere as Billy Flynn.

Chicago is classic musical theatre at its finest and if you haven’t listened to it yet Besties, you must!

Cast recordings available on streaming services. 

FACTS:

Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Book: Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse, David Thompson
Theatre: The Richard Rodgers, The Shubert, The Ambassadors
Run: 12 May 1975 – 27 August 1977 (24 previews, 936 regular performances) 

23 October 1996 – Currently suspended (25 previews, 9690 at suspension) 

TONYS:

(NOMINATED) Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical – Fred Ebb and John Kander, Best Original Score – John Kander and Fred Ebb, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical – Jerry Orbach, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon, Best Direction of a Musical – Bob Fosse, Best Choreography – Bob Fosse, Best Scenic Design – Tony Walton, Best Costume Design – Patricia Zipprodt, Best Lighting Design – Jules Fisher. 

(1997) Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical – Marcia Lewis, Best Costume Design – William Ivey Long

(WON) Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical – James Naughton, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Bebe Neuwirth, Best Direction of a Musical – Walter Bobbie, Best Choreography – Ann Reinking, Best Lighting Design – Ken Billington 

OLIVIERS:

(NOMINATED) Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical – Ben Cross, Best Actress in a Musical – Antonia Ellis

(1997) Best Actor in a Musical – Henry Goodman, Best Actress in a Musical – Ruthie Henshall, Best Director – Walter Bobbie, Best Theatre Choreographer – Ann Reinking, Best Costume Design – William Ivey Long. 

(WON) Outstanding Musical Production, Best Actress in a Musical – Ute Lemper