Chicago the Musical Appreciation Thread

[darreyl102]

i LOVED Bianca, Carol and Terra. I don't know who this guy is, but I don't like him.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

My response to the Toronto critic. He's all kinds of wrong.
Chicago In Toronto

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

I noticed the little bit of video of Tony Yazbeck and Michael Berresse doing "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" for Broadway Backwards. Is there any chance that a full video (from start to finish)will be released at some point? I wonder who played the Roxie and Velma character? I sometimes imagined Michael Cusumano as a Roxie. Just thinking out loud.

[Alan Henry]

Caught the second last show (matinee) in Toronto today. The cast was on fire, and the show incredible. No idea what the Toronto reviewer saw, but I absolutely had a blast.

I have to give a special shoutout to Bianca Marroquin who was absolutely perfect as
Roxie. She resumes performances on Broadway tomorrow in the show. She had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A total triple threat if there ever was one.

Stojko was good as Billy as well.

The choreography and staging is, of course, brilliant!

Can't wait until I have a chance to see it again!

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Apparently, that particular Toronto critic is known for not liking much of the shows he reviews. It's very odd that he was so enraptured by Stojko...who by then had 8 shows under his belt as Billy. Then, he doesn't say anything good about Terra C and her performance.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

According to Telecharge, Brent Barrett will be Billy Flynn until July 27, 2014. Wow, Bianca Marroquin has a significant extension....to March 22, 2015! That is a pretty amazing scheduled run for a Roxie. I had to look at it for a moment, thinking it was a typo.
Chicago Overview

[Alan Henry]

Bianca is absolutely incredible! Her performance in TO this past sunday was one of the most moving things I've seen on stage.

[ghostlight2]

"I noticed the little bit of video of Tony Yazbeck and Michael Berresse doing "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" for Broadway Backwards. Is there any chance that a full video (from start to finish)will be released at some point? I wonder who played the Roxie and Velma character?

Yazbeck and Berresse have both played Billy Flynn (and Berresse originated Fred Casely in the revival). In Broadway Backwards, Yazbeck was Roxie, Berresse Velma. Interesting that you mentioned a male "Hot Honey Rag" on the first page of this thread, and I'd forgotten I'd suggested it would be a good fit for Broadway Backwards, over three years ago.

The entire show, btw, can be yours for $35.





broadway backwards dvd

[gleek4114]

I would love to have a lot of those and I know it goes to charity but $35 is kinda steep for 1 DVD. I might have to save up my pennies and spring for Chita's concert.

[ghostlight2]

Honestly, gleek, we are lucky that they are available at all - and it is for a very good cause. I don't know of you can get to the flea market that is held every year, but BC/EFA often has a table where many of these dvds can be bought at a sharp discount - and the money still goes to the cause.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

I noticed in Telecharge that Chicago will have 9 shows for the week of April 13-19. I'm curious as to the reason for this.


Telecharge

[FishermanBob]

Could it be related to the fact that the following week they only have 7 performances scheduled? I'm going to guess it might be. They aren't doing a Sunday matinee on Easter so they moved that performance up to the April 13-19 week.

[ghostlight2]

A theatrical week runs Monday - Sunday, so Easter falls into the week April 14-20th. They altered the schedule so cast and crew could have the morning of Easter Sunday off (or more likely, because they think they'll make more money this way). That 8th show has to go somewhere, so they put it on their dark day, Weds. To keep from having 13 shows in a row without a day off, they moved the tues performance to weds as well. The following week they return to their regular schedule - but both weeks only contain 8 shows.

You can't "make up" shows in another pay week. That's why you'll see Friday matinees around the big holidays. The only time I have seen more than 8 shows in a week is when they add an actor's fund show. There may well be other exceptions, but they are negotiated and expensive.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Chicago needs a new/different/someone other than AFW Velma Kelly.....on April 28th. Leigh Zimmerman should/needs to make a return as Velma. She hasn't done the show since 2011! Come on Weisslers...sign her up! from RC in Austin, Texas

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Here is Leigh Zimmerman in all her fabulousness.
Leigh Zimmerman

[jonartdesigns]

leigh's expression/ scream when they swing her off stage during "I know a girl" is almost worth the price of admission alone.

[Phantom4ever]

Many shows do a 7 show week for Christmas and a 9 show week for New Years to really pull in those big numbers. It's rare around Easter though.

Glad to see Bianca is staying with the show.

[ghostlight2]

^^ Can you cite some examples? I don't see how that would work out financially.

[blaxx]

Wow, Bianca Marroquin has a significant extension....to March 22, 2015! That is a pretty amazing scheduled run for a Roxie. I had to look at it for a moment, thinking it was a typo.

Would she not at this point have the record for the most performances as Roxie on Broadway?

[ghostlight2]

Maybe. In 2009, Charlotte d'Amboise had over 2,000 performances under her belt:
Link

[blaxx]

She has to be pretty close.

[jonartdesigns]

With Bianca, Brent, and Carol scheduled for the next several months I get a funny feeling we may see a celebrity velma soon.

[Phantom4ever]

Ghostlight, here are some examples for you:

http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/183917-Broadways-Christmas-Week-Performance-Schedule
http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/184546-Broadways-New-Years-Week-Performance-Schedule

As you can see from the links, several shows played a seven-performance week during Christmas 2013 and a nine-performance week during New Year's (Eve) week 2013, including:

After Midnight
Betrayal (did the 9 shows at Christmas)
Big Fish (9 shows at Christmas)
Gentleman's Guide (9 shows at Christmas)
Jersey Boys
Kinky Boots (9 shows at Christmas)
Lion King (9 shows at Christmas)
Machinal
Mamma Mia (9 shows at Christmas)
Matilda (9 shows at Christmas)
Motown
Newsies (9 shows at Christmas)
Janis Joplin
Phantom (9 shows at Christmas)
Pippin
Rock of Ages (9 shows at Christmas)
Wicked (9 shows at Christmas)

[EricMontreal22]

Backing up to the Toronto critic--Richard Ouzounian is a know-it-all who has gotten progressively more bitter (probably due to the poor success his own musicals, such as Dracula--yes, another one--and Larry's Party have had.) I grew up with his CBC radio show Say it with Music, which exposed me to a lot of musicals as a kid, so I'm thankful for that, but yeah, I wouldn't put any weight in his reviews.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

I think they need some new blood in there! All due respect to those pro's that return to the roles- it's good to have steady work as a performer! However, there are a lot of talented folks out there! Perhaps, the show isn't as coveted a show as it used to be for actors, but I can think of a handful of singer/dancers that would knock it out of the park in that show! People like, Cady Hoffman- how great would she be as Velma! Or Rachelle Rak- what a Roxie/Velma they'd be! Rak I still hope will get a crack at Fastrada!

[ghostlight2]

Thanks for the links, Phantom4ever. That's the opposite of what you originally said, but I still don't see how that works out. As far as I understand, if you drop a show from an 8 show week, you still pay for it, and if you add a 9th show, you pay a lot for the privilege. I guess there is just that much money to be made around the holidays.

"People like, Cady Hoffman- how great would she be as Velma! Or Rachelle Rak- what a Roxie/Velma they'd be! Rak I still hope will get a crack at Fastrada!"

Rak is due sometime in May, I think, so it might be awhile before we see her in anything.