[NEohioPAL] "Chicago, the Musical" Opens at Rabbit Run Theater

[Rabbit Run]

FOR:               Rabbit Run Community Arts Association

                        P. O. Box 235, 49 Park St.

                        Madison, OH  44057

 

CONTACT:    Karen Ziegler, Publicist

                        440-428-5913

 

DATE:            July 12, 2011

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Chicago, the Musical opens at Rabbit Run Theater

 

Chicago, the Musical, winner of six Tony Awards, opens July 15 at Rabbit Run
Theater in Madison. 

 

A dazzling and fast-paced show, Chicago is filled with stunning song and
dance numbers performed in a Vaudevillian style. The show is a satire set in
the roaring 20's poking fun at prohibition era criminal justice.  Chorine
Roxie Hart is convicted of murdering a lover and sent to death row.  She and
fellow "Merry Murderess" Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the
headlines, but end up joining forces in search of the American dream of
fame, fortune and acquittal.

The original Broadway production opened in 1975 and is, perhaps, best known
for its brilliant choreography created by Bob Fosse.   The Broadway revival
of Chicago opened 20 years later and was the longest-running musical revival
in Broadway history playing for more than 5,900 performances.   

Chicago is directed by Brint Learned, executive director of Rabbit Run
Community Arts Association.

"The original Broadway production of Chicago was written as a musical
vaudeville piece", said Learned.   "The musical numbers very much help tell
the story, but they also stand alone as traditional song and dance numbers."


 

"We are fortunate that our choreographer Ken Gasch truly understands the
vaudeville/burlesque style of the music.  He has taken the choreography in
the direction of the classic burlesque format . . .  a little racy and even
sexy but with a playful "wink" that hearkens back to the era of bootleg gin
and the Charleston." 

 

"We want to remind our patrons that Chicago is intended for a mature
audience," said Learned.  "The opening line in the show reads, 'You are
about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation,
adultery, and treachery - all those things we hold near and dear to our
hearts.'  So perhaps you should leave the kids at home."  

 

 

The two female leads of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart are played by Jennifer
Griffin and Jordan Malin respectively.

 

Griffin is a musical theatre graduate who trained at The American Musical
and Dramatic Academy.  She recently produced and directed an original play
she wrote entitled Personals Uncut: The New York Edition.  Locally, she has
performed at the Great Lakes Theatre Festival, the Actors Summit, & Cedar
Point.  Malin has performed in productions at The Beck Center, Cleveland
Public Theater, The Cleveland Playhouse, Ashtabula Arts Center, and Cassidy
Theatre.  

 

Lawyer Billy Flynn is played by Brian Altman.  Altman has performed in many
community theaters in Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania including
The Erie Playhouse, The Beck Center, Lakeland Civic Theatre as well as
Rabbit Run.

 

Other notable roles include Linda Fundis as Mamma Morton and Paul Felden as
Amos Hart.

 

Performances of Chicago run from July 15 through July 31.  Tickets are
$19/adult and $17/senior, student.  Tickets are available by calling the box
office at 440-428-7092 or online at www.rabbitrunonline.org
<http://www.rabbitrunonline.org/> .  Box office hours are Wednesday through
Sunday, 3 to 7 p.m.  For group dinner packages and sales call 440-428-5913.

 

All shows begin at 8 p.m.  Rabbit Run Theater is located at 5648 W. Chapel
Rd., Madison, and is one of the few remaining barn theaters in Ohio.  Rabbit
Run operates under the auspices of Rabbit Run Community Arts Association and
receives partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council.

 

 

 

 

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