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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Chicago</SPAN></I></B><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
tour has, for the most part, all that jazz <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Times </I>papers
1/21/10</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 7.5pt 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The national tour of
the Tony Award-winning <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Chicago</I>,
currently on stage at the Palace Theater in PlayhouseSquare, has it all:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>a jazzy storyline grounded in delicious
scandal and cold-blooded murder, one show-stopping musical number after another,
and the sexy and stylized choreography of Bob Fosse performed by an ensemble of
scantily-clad hard-bodies.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 7.5pt 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It lacks one thing
that the Broadway production has.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Fortunately.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 7.5pt 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Chicago</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> is about Cook County
murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>One killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together and
the other killed her lover when he walked out on her.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They find themselves on death row and in
competition for notoriety in the fickle 1920s Chicago press, which will keep
them from the gallows and bring them fame and fortune.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 7.5pt 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The original 1975
Broadway production featured theater legends Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon in the
lead roles.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The 1996 revival, still
in production and now the sixth longest-running musical in Broadway history,
starred</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bebe
Neuwirth and Ann Reinking, also extraordinarily talented musical theater
royalty. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 7.5pt 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Since their
departure, a revolving door of less pedigreed but popular and occasionally
trendy talent has been plugged in to fill the void, including film and TV stars
Sandy Duncan, Brooke Shields, and Lisa Rinna.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Currently playing Roxie in the New York
production is pop recording artist, reality show denizen and <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">SNL</I> lip-syncher Ashlee
Simpson-Wentz.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #666666; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Fortunately the
touring company offers the real deal, the magnificent Bianca Marroquin and
Brenda Braxton. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Roxie has been played a
wide variety of ways, based on the particular strengths of the specific actress
taking on the role.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ms. Marroquin
is of the flat-out-adorable variety. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>She lights up the stage and is
consistently endearing as she segues from a Kander and Ebb torch-song to an
opulent production number.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Blessed
with phenomenal pipes, musical theater wherewithal, and a body built for Fosse’s
seductive movement, she has her finest moments handling the comedy in "We Both
Reached For the Gun" and performing the character-defining “Roxie.”
<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">While Ms. Marroquin
is busy lighting up the stage, Ms. Braxton goes about the business of owning
it.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Also delivering the goods in
the singing and dancing departments, she brings a confidence and presence to the
role of Velma that makes it difficult to shift focus to Ms. Marroquin, members
of the exceptionally gifted ensemble cast, or the huggable Tom Riis Farrell as
Roxie’s all-but-obscured husband Amos.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The stage is brimming with talent.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The exception is Tom
Wopat as the s</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">ilver-tongued
lawyer Billy Flynn, a role that has also become a revolving door.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Best known for being Luke in
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">TV's <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dukes of Hazzard</I>, Mr. Wopat has some
impressive musical theatre credits and a fine singing voice.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, he lacks the charm, grace and
appeal the character requires and walks—not dances—his way through numbers like
“Razzle Dazzle."<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Also disappointing is
Carol Woods as Matron “Mama” Morton.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>She has a phenomenal gospel voice, but lacks mobility and brings nothing
to her interpretation of the innuendo-filled solo number “When You’re Good to
Mama.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When she sings lines
like “if you want my gravy, pepper my ragout,” it seems as if she is actually
singing about food.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">These distractions do
little to steal the thunder from an otherwise stellar production. This is
fast-paced, sensory-filling musical theater at its best.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is an absolute pleasure to watch and,
thanks to a largely local on-stage orchestra under the astute direction of
Andrew Bryan, it is a pleasure to listen to.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Chicago</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
is in Cleveland through January 24. For tickets, call 216-241-6000 or visit <A
href=""><B><FONT
color=#000066>www.playhousesquare.com</FONT></B></A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>