Going into this, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d missed the 2002 movie of Chicago that came out, I’d never seen a previous performance and I wasn’t even that familiar with the story. So to help catch you up, here’s some background about the show so for anyone else who apparently spent too much time missing out, you will be all caught up.
Originally, Chicago was a play written in 1926 and then re-written as a musical it first appeared on Broadway in 1975. Since then it’s been revamped and released several times and is currently been running in its latest version in New York since 1996 and has received numerous awards over the years.
So what’s it about? Ironically, for a play based back in the 1920’s Chicago’s story is more accurate today then it’s ever been. Chicago tells the story of criminals gaining celebrity status via the sensationalism of them via the media.
Now without seeing the original it’s hard for me to compare, but from the reaction of my wife during much of the dance and vocals, it was definitely a successful show. She loved it!
The cast themselves were excellent with Andrea Wingelaar, who played Velma, and Marisa McIntyre, who played Roxie, both having great stage presence which truly helping to draw the crowd into the show.
If you’re already familiar with the Broadway show, you’ll know who the character Amos is and Actor Ed Sahely did a great job of bringing this character to life. By the end of the performance, we definitely had a soft spot for the Amos character thanks to Ed’s portrayal.
Now, although I enjoyed the show, I have to point out my wife REALLY enjoyed the show. To make sure it wasn’t just us with this viewpoint, after the performance we talked to another couple about their thoughts. The husband had also enjoyed himself, but his wife also REALLY enjoyed all the dancing.
So the point is, fellows, make sure you take your spouse’s out to see this as they will most certainly enjoy themselves! Overall Chicago had a great storyline, that in combination with the fantastic choreography and singing it made for quite an enjoyable evening.
