[NEohioPAL] Berko review: CHICAGO, the musical @ Palace Theatre

[Roy Berko]

*Dance-terrific ‘CHICAGO’ jazzes up the Palace*

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

A touring company of the multi-award winning musical ‘CHICAGO,’ is now
appearing at the Palace Theatre in PlayhouseSquare.

‘CHICAGO,’ the John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics and book) and Bob
Fosse (book) show, is set in the razzle-dazzle decadent era of the 1920s,
when “gangstas” and corruption ran wild.  It centers on a Windy City story
of Roxie Hart, a married, free-love housewife and nightclub dancer, who
murders her lover after he threatens to walk out on her.   She, along with
fellow inmate, Velma Kelly, both long for fame and turn to Billy Flynn,
Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer, to get them out of jail and into show
business.

The original 1975 production highlighted the dynamic choreography of Bob
Fosse.  That production  starred Cleveland’s Joel Grey as Amos, Roxie’s
husband.   The show, with numerous cast changes, which is still running, is
now the longest running on-Broadway American musical and has the third
longest run in Big Apple history.  (What is number one?  It is PHANTOM OF
THE OPERA, with THE FANTASTICS as the longest off-Broadway show.)

The wonderful jazz score lends itself to blockbuster production numbers.
Outstanding are “All That Jazz,” “Roxie” and “Razzle Dazzle.”

The touring show is dynamic.  The stage explodes with powerful dancing,
strong choral singing, a well-tuned orchestra, and strong lead
performances.

The buff male dance chorus, who also double as singers and actors, are
outstanding.  They know Fosse’s difficult signature moves, such as dipping
shoulders, fey hands, single bent knee, spread fingers, turned ankles and
head snaps, and carry them out to perfection.

Having the orchestra on stage adds to the flamboyance of the show as do the
sensual costumes, creative lighting and minimal sets.

The freshness and energy of the production is enhanced by the knowledge
that many in the cast just arrived on Sunday after a 14-hour flight from
doing the show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Bianca Marroquin, a youthful Mary Tyler Moore look-alike, is outstanding as
Roxy.  She sings, dances and acts with fidelity.  Ron Orback wins the
audience over as Roxie’s nebbish husband, whose rendition of “Mister
Cellophane” is tenderly appealing.   C. Newcomer, as the reporter, Mary
Sunshine, does a fun gender-bender switch at the end of the show, that
fooled many members of the audience.

Terra MacLeod, who has a well-trained singing voice and strong dancing
abilities, was fine as Velma, but could have been a little more
hard-edged.  Carol Woods, makes for a first-rate Matron “Mama” Morton.  Her
“When You’re Good to Mama” was delightful.  John O’Hurley could have been a
little more snarly as Billy Flynn, the slick lawyer, but his singing voice
and Silver Fox good looks made him an audience pleaser.

The show’s stage manager, Lynda Lavin, is a 1971 Mayfield High School
graduate.

My award-winning composing 18 year-old grandson, Alex, formerly known as
the “kid reviewer,” who had never seen the show before, was blown away by
the music, the quality of the orchestra, the singing, the encompassing
storyline, but most of all by the dancing.   After the show, he, and a
group of his theatre-smart friends, were all raving about the experience.


*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   The touring company of ‘CHICAGO’ presents an audience
pleasing production.  It will “razzle dazzle you,” and give you a feeling
that you’ve seen “all that jazz.” *
Tickets, for the show that runs through January 12, 2014,  can be ordered
by calling 216-241-6000 or going to www.playhousesquare.org.
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