Chicago ensemble members
Given that the new Pope hails from Chicago, it’s likely you’ve heard an uptick of talk of that town in the last week or so. But let me tell you: There’s another Chicago you ought to be talking about, because the current production running at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, directed and choreographed by Ashley Becher, is a visual spectacular and features, I wager, some of the best dancing I’ve ever seen on that stage.
With its book by choreographer Bob Fosse and lyricist Fred Ebb, and its music by John Kander, Chicago is likely one of those shows that even if you don’t think you know it, you've probably heard of it, or are at least familiar with one or two of its songs. Before the show really gets rolling, there’s an announcement that sets the scene completely for you: “Ladies and Gentlemen, you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery.” If that’s still not enough information, just know that it’s an abstract telling of the story of Roxie Hart (Sarah Beth Ganey), who kills her lover and then must face court in the extremely corrupt Cook County court system in 1920s Chicago. (Yes, the title is very on-the-geographic-nose.)
After Roxy finds herself in Cook County Jail, she meets former vaudeville performer Velma Kelly (Elly Rebeka) and the other murderesses, and it surprised me that, in Becher’s production, neither Roxie nor Velma is particularly likable. Of course, they don’t precisely need to be. But it’s my personal belief that, in theatre, you need to have someone to root for, and based on Rebeka and Ganey’s performances, I was willing to see them both hang. Both Ganey and Rebeka are obviously immensely talented – the singing and dancing chops on these two will knock your socks off. Yet neither seemed to even strive for a character attribute beyond “conniving,” which made it difficult for me to connect with them or truly care about what happened to them at all.
Both ladies find themselves with an outstanding lawyer in Billy Flynn (Bobby Becher) due to their shared ability to bribe Matron “Mama” Morton (a splendid Sarah Hayes), the jailer who oversees the cell block and works with those on the outside. Hayes’ song “When You’re Good to Mama” was so well done that it made me wish the show was about Mama and not about Roxie.
If you've ever had the pleasure of seeing Bobby Becher on stage, you know that he's ever-talented and generally seems to be a perpetual nice guy … which, in this case, isn’t great. On Saturday, at least, Becher wasn’t quite a smarmy-enough Billy for my taste; he still seemed kind of nice and charming. To be clear, I suspect Becher will grow into the shadier side of the law as the run continues, and the actor completely hits his every assigned choreographic move with ease. (Music director Ron May should be applauded for Becher’s fantastic, sustained-note performance in “All I Care About.”)
And let’s talk about Chicago's choreography, because it was stunning. Bob Fosse has a very specific and challenging style, yet Ashley Becher’s cast had no problem staying pointed and focused throughout. From the very first “dun dun” in “All That Jazz,” which was perfectly timed to the tapping of ash off a cigarette, to the speedy sharpness in “We Both Reached for the Gun,” this cast pulled off the dancing impeccably. In truth, every single song brought more to marvel at, and the ways in which Becher employed Becky Meissen's scenic design were delightful. This was particularly noticeable in “Cell Block Tango” as the murderesses rotated up, down, and around the art-deco set and paced their movements beautifully.
Meanwhile, outside of the jail was Roxie’s sweet and naïve husband Amos, and what a heartbreaking performance Robert Sharkey delivered – it was such a bright spot in a production that's otherwise a showcase of all that’s wrong with humanity. Another standout portrayal was N. Fuqua’s as news reporter Mary Sunshine. Bringing larger-than-life vocals and the exact right zazz to the character, Fuqua was fun to watch. However, the “big reveal” involving Mary at the show's end, one that's neither shocking nor terribly surprising, missed the mark and felt flat. It may just be that this particular Chicago trope has run its course, given modern culture, but it made for a sad anticlimax to an otherwise strong performance.
Other fabulous aspects of this production included Bradley Robert Jensen’s costume design. I don’t think there was anyone on stage who didn’t have a costume change (or five), and everything was flawless. Chicago is famously a risqué artistic interpretation of the 1920s, and Jensen did a superb job preserving the style people expect from the show while clearly having fun by putting his own stylistic flair on each piece. Heather Hauskins’ lighting design was another marvelous aspect of this production, skillfully accentuating mood and atmosphere.
Overall, Becher’s Chicago is full of all the Razzle Dazzle anyone would expect. If you perhaps have no preconceived notions about this particular musical before you walk in the door, prepare to have your mind blown. This Chicago is incredibly well done, and from the show's start to its final full-company number, it was thrilling beyond my own personal expectations. This production really is “All That Jazz.”
Chicago runs at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse (1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL) through July 5, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
