The Muny’s Chicago is
a  Razzle- Dazzle Encore

by Pat Lindsey

The Muny opened its 104th season exactly as it ended its 103rd–with the razzle dazzle of “Chicago,” the story of two merry murderesses, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, who get by with murder in a fictionalized version of 1920s Jazz-Age Chicago.

Last summer, when it looked as though The Muny was going to successfully complete an entire season during a pandemic, this production came to a screeching halt as cast members, one by one, contracted COVID. Miraculously, permission was granted for the show to be extended to this year so that the same cast of brilliant actors could give an encore performance of this scintillating show for the thousands of people who missed it last August. The actors changed their schedules–even postponed weddings–for the opportunity to again present an internationally acclaimed, Tony award-winning Kander and Ebb musical to St. Louis.
Murder is almost a form of entertainment in late 1920s Chicago. Roxie Hart (Sarah Bowden) has been having an adulterous affair with her furniture salesman and shoots him when he tries to walk out on her. When Roxie’s husband, Amos (Adam Heller), comes home from work, Roxie has the audacity to convince her husband to tell the police that he did it. Amos agrees to take the blame for her crime until he finally realizes that the dead intruder was really Roxie’s lover. Roxie is then arrested and the story continues in prison, where we meet inmate Velma Kelly (J. Harrison Ghee) and the wardress Matron “Mama” Morton (Emily Skinner).
In prison, Roxie and Velma are instant rivals and unlikely collaborators. The only thing they share is an attorney, Billy Flynn (James T. Lane), whose $5,000 fee and fast talking allows him to manipulate the murderesses in different ways. Billy’s strategy is to rewrite Roxie’s history to make her more sympathetic to a jury. But Roxie only cares about seeing her name in headlines and becoming famous. That is until the fateful day when she actually sees a woman hanged. That’s when she decides to cooperate with Billy. A standout scene portrays Billy as a puppeteer with Roxie, the dummy, sitting on his lap saying everything he wants her to say. And Billy makes sure Mary Sunshine (Ali Ewoldt), the local reporter, catches every word.
The principal cast members are among the most talented ever presented in one Muny production. High-kicking Velma Kelly (Ghee) opens the show with a company of electrified singers/dancers filling the stage with “All That Jazz” in a swanky nightclub. A few minutes later, we see her in jail with several female inmates doing the “Cell Block Tango” and justifying their crimes by singing, “he had it coming.” Then enters Matron “Mama” Morton (Skinner), the Mistress of Murderers Row, who sets the inmates straight by explaining to them in song what they can expect “When You’re Good to Mama.”
In spite of being immoral and totally self-absorbed, Sarah Bowden as Roxie tap dances into our hearts and steals the show with her exceptional vocals and expert hoofing. Her despicable treatment of her husband, Amos (Adam Heller), makes us empathize with him even more when he sings “Mister Cellophane.”
Bowden’s wide vocal range is a good match for Ghee’s more explosive voice. But no one can hold a note longer than Billy Flynn (James T. Lane) whose voice is as powerful and animated as the confident lawyer he plays. Ali Ewoldt has a beautiful operatic voice that shines brightly over the radio in her character of Mary Sunshine, the tabloid columnist who is always looking for a scoop.
The Muny Orchestra, under the direction of Charlie Alterman, is simply outstanding as it performs this varied and robust score and accompanies this fantastic cast.
The Muny’s “Chicago” is theatrical excellence. A creative team of visionaries took a 50-year-old show and made it new again with flawless Bob Fosse-style choreography directed by Denis Jones, fantastic music and singing, gorgeous sets and costumes, sex, cynicism and corruption, big headlines, and a nice touch at the end. Instead of the two stars packing machine guns in their final number, Velma and Roxie carried bouquets of red roses. It’s a sign of the times.
Performances are nightly at 8:15 p.m. at The Muny in Forest Park now through June 19. For tickets, go to muny.org or call 314-534-1111.

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