Review: CHICAGO Brings Razzle Dazzle to the Rancho Mirage Amohitheater

SPECIAL TO BWW BY GUEST REVIEWER JOE SAVANT

Desert Theatricals brings the legendary Broadway musical Chicago to the Rancho Mirage Amphitheater for a limited three-night run, opening March 13. Packed with murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery — all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts — the Kander and Ebb classic remains as sharp and entertaining today as when it first premiered. Under the direction of Ray Limon, this stylish production embraces the show’s signature blend of vaudeville spectacle, biting satire, and sultry jazz.

At the center of the story are Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two vaudeville hopefuls navigating scandal, fame, and the justice system. Tomasina Abate as Velma Kelly opens the show with a sizzling “All That Jazz,” immediately commanding the stage. This leads us to Michelle Estrada as Roxie Hart, who shoots her lover and then attempts to pass the blame onto her dim-witted husband, Amos (Glenn Liggett). Both Abate and Estrada deliver strong performances filled with charisma and presence, capturing the ambition and cynical humor that make these characters so entertaining—despite their murderous tendencies.

Charles Herrera as Billy Flynn, the lawyer every murderess wants to represent her, is charmingly smooth and elegant as he squeezes every dollar out of his clients while twisting the legal system to his will. Herrera’s glorious vocals have the audience eating out of his hands as he pours the razzle dazzle over the courtroom.

Valerie Monroe as Matron “Mama” Morton infuses the character with magnificent vocals that elevate the women’s prison into something resembling a jazzy speakeasy. Noah Wahlberg as Mary Sunshine fills the stage with an operatic soprano reminiscent of a young Maggie Smith or Irene Dunne. Glenn Liggett as Amos Hart is heart-breakingly hilarious as the loyal husband who inevitably gets left behind.

The ensemble cast is spectacular, filling in the smaller roles while maintaining the demanding precision of Fosse’s iconic movement style and filling the amphitheater stage with energy and attitude. The work and effort that go into a production of this scale are to be applauded. Familiar Desert Theatricals faces Danny Hansen, Mia Mercado, Charlotte Upp, and John Corr join Brenna Delay, Gioia Mia Cali, Jessica Lenz, Cole Forsythe, and Patrick MacDonald to bring the production’s minimalist staging to life, allowing the performers and choreography to take center stage.

All the while, conductor and music director Joshua Carr and the orchestra—onstage for the entire performance—drive the familiar Kander and Ebb score with punchy jazz rhythms that keep the evening moving at a brisk pace.

Chicago has a legendary history, from its original 1975 Bob Fosse production starring Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, and Jerry Orbach—famously including a month-long stint when Liza Minnelli stepped in for an ailing Verdon—to the longest-running revival in Broadway history, which opened in 1996 and continues to run today. Add to that the Oscar-winning 2002 film directed by Rob Marshall, and the legacy of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly remains undeniable.

That legacy lives on here in Rancho Mirage, where the story of fame, scandal, and ambition still sparkles under the stage lights. And beneath all the feathers and glitter, the show’s biting social commentary remains as sharp as ever: in America, with enough razzle dazzle and a little flimflam, you just might get away with murder.

SPECIAL TO BWW BY GUEST REVIEWER JOE SAVANT