Maine South presents "Chicago"

Maine South High School Theatre students and staff will turn back the clock to the era of Vaudeville and Prohibition with their presentation of the popular musical Chicago on April 27, 28 and 29 and May 4 and 5.

The musical Chicago, which satirizes Americans’ glorification of celebrities, crime and scandal, originated in a play written by a Chicago newspaper reporter after she covered the 1924 trials of two murderesses and discovered, to her amazement, an insatiable readership for her accounts of crime, sex and all manner of scandal.  Five decades later, actress and dancer Gwen Verdon took the idea of transforming Chicago into a musical to Bob Fosse, her former husband and famed choreographer.  In a case of unfortunate timing, this initial musical version was overshadowed as it opened at roughly the same time as A Chorus Line.  Chicago later flourished later as a revival and has enjoyed success as one of Broadway’s longest running productions.

Co-producing Chicago for Maine South are Fine Arts Chair Teralyn Keith and Theatre teacher John Muszynski, who also is directing the production.  Costumes are by Lauri McCleneghan, orchestra direction by Joel Matter, vocal direction by Matthew Hanes, technical direction by Pat Sanchez and choreography by Konnie Kay.

Female leads will be played by Becca Hess as Roxie Hart and Isabel Lima as Velma Kelly. Sean Cahill-Lemme plays the role of hot-shot defense attorney Billy Flynn and Phil Titean portrays Roxie’s hapless and clueless husband, Amos Hart.  Forty-eight students comprise the cast, and about 150 South students are involved in the entire company.

The production is done in vaudeville style, which means, among other things, that the orchestra will perform at stage level along with the cast.

Muszynski notes that Chicago is not appropriate for young children and should be considered for a PG-13 audience.

The April 29 performance is a 2 p.m. matinee.  All other performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.  Tickets cost $10 and are available online at www.SeatYourself.biz/MaineSouth.