With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse, CHICAGO is based on a 1926 play by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins. CHICAGO tells the story of Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who murders her unfaithful lover, convinces her husband of her innocence, then manages not only to avoid prison with the help of razzle-dazzle lawyer Billy Flynn, but uses the trial to propel herself to showbiz stardom along with another murderous chorus girl, Velma Kelly. A dark parable of American justice, this show is a sexy musical extravaganza that includes several show-stopping numbers such as All That Jazz, Razzle Dazzle and When You're Good to Mama.

CHICAGO opened at the 46th Street Theatre on June 3, 1975, with a cast that included Gwen Verdon as Roxie, Chita Rivera as Velma and Jerry Orbach as Billy. Although the show enjoyed a run of 898 performances, it was overshadowed by A Chorus Line which opened the same year. ACL also swept the Tony Awards that year leaving CHICAGO somewhat under appreciated. Since then the show has been rediscovered as one of the greatest pieces of American musical theatre, is still running strong on Broadway as well as productions around the world, and regained fame as a major motion picture winning several Oscars.

SPONSORED BY:

MAINE STREET STATION

BOWDOIN COLLEGE