Wouldn'tcha know? Just as the first snowflakes settle on Milwaukee, along comes a blazing hot musical to warm things up.
Chicago has been seen in town before, but it has never sizzled so persuasively as it does in this production, under the skintight direction of Russell Garrett. The Skylight Theater has outdone itself in staging the most remarkable show in this -- or any other -- season. The black comedy about showgirl Roxie Hart is based on an actual event in the 1920s, in which Roxie kills her lover and is put on trial for murder. At the time, the event was sensationalized in the local newspapers.
In Chicago, Roxie becomes a media "star" whose long-standing dream of fame finally comes true. We meet all the characters in Roxie's life: her addle-brained husband, Amos; her lover; her cellmates, including the notorious Velma Kelly; her lawyer; and even her warden, the tough-talking "Mama" Morton.
The musical is, above all, a dance show, and Bob Fosse's sinuously sexy choreography adds a perfectly decadent note to the murder tale. It must be noted that Chicago is not an easy show to produce; it requires a well-trained corps of top-notch singer/dancers who can slip in and out of a character as easily as a pair of dance tights. It also tells its story in a series of musical vignettes, with little narrative to tie the scenes together. Other productions may have stumbled occasionally; this Chicago is as slinky as Fosse's choreography. Scenes flow effortlessly, thanks in no small measure to the considerable talents of set designer R. Eric Stone and lighting designer Andrew Meyers. Slinky also describes most of the body-hugging costumes. The lingerie-style prison garb worn by "the girls" in the number, "The Cell Block Tango" is slightly naughty without being too revealing.
The band, led by musical director Richard Carsey, is a visible onstage presence, and they really knows how to swing and energize a string of hits, from "All That Jazz" to "Mister Cellophane" and "Razzle Dazzle."
Casting is certainly among the production's strong points. In the expert hands of Angela Iannone (as Roxie) and Branch Woodman (as Billy Flynn, her lawyer), even the lesser-known number, "We Both Reached for the Gun," is a gem. A relative newcomer to Milwaukee, Tari Kelly, tears up the stage in her no-holds-barred characterization of Velma Kelly. She never seems to make a false move or hit a wrong note. While red-haired Angela Iannone does an impeccable imitation of Gwen Verdon's vibrato (Verdon originated the role), the dark-haired Kelly goes for the deadpan comic delivery of a young Carol Burnett.
The only quibbles with Chicago come in the final scenes. Ray Jivoff's memorable "Mister Cellophane" doesn't require a clown suit to drive the point home. Likewise, Karl Miller's antics as he impersonates various members of the jury are clever and diverting, but they pull attention away from Roxie as she's pleading for her life. Otherwise, Chicago is in a class by itself, and Milwaukee is fortunate to have an adult-oriented alternative to the traditional holiday theater fare.
