CTC Paints the Town with Glitz in "Chicago"

By Mike Logothetis
Theater reviewer Mike Logothetis grew up in North Wilmington, performing in school and local theater productions. He lives in Newark, but you can find him wherever the arts are good.

City Theater Company (CTC) paints the town with a lively staging of the award-winning musical Chicago. With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago first took the world by storm in 1975 and has endured ever since. Its iterations include an Academy Award–winning film and the current NYC production, which is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. 

My recommendation is to do “A Little Bit of Good” and head to the Wilmington Riverfront to experience “All That Jazz.”

The cozy Black Box theater at The Delaware Contemporary has been transformed into a social club with a swingin’ band on one side and a Prohibition-era bar on the other. The audience can choose to sit in a standard seat, a chair with a mini cocktail table, or a high top in the back. Performers weave their ways up the center aisle or around the sides in this immersive setting. Sometimes the action isn’t right in front of you.

Dylan Geringer stars as Roxie Hart, the bored housewife-turned-murderess with wannabe chanteuse dreams. CTC Artistic Director Kerry Kristine McElrone stars as Velma Kelly, seasoned vaudeville star and fellow accused killer. The two play well off each other in dialog and song. But it seems like everyone in the cast has those sorts of strong interpersonal stage relationships. It’s an excellent ensemble of notable of CTC fan-favorites including Tonya Baynes, Daryan Borys, Jolene Cuisine, Tommy Fisher-Klein, Autumn Jewel Hudson, Mary Catherine Kelley, Paul McElwee, and Dionne Williford. Making their CTC debuts alongside these veterans are Jonathan Frazier and CTC Board Member Scott Frelick.

McElwee was superb in his smarminess, ruthlessness, and conviction as celebrity lawyer Billy Flynn. His vocals and movements were supremely confident in his songs “All I Care About” and “Razzle Dazzle.” His puppeteering of Roxie during “We Both Reached for the Gun” was a highlight for both McElwee and Geringer.

In a classic show with a stellar score, it’s tough to pick favorites…but I did...I had to. Along with the previously mentioned numbers, “When You’re Good to Mama” (Baynes), “Roxie” (Geringer), “I Can’t Do It Alone” (McElrone), and “Mister Cellophane” (Borys) were standouts. And how Jolene Cuisine belted out “A Little Bit of Good” – while commanding the world to take notice – was amazing.

The cast of CTC's Chicago. Photo by Jim Coarse/Moonloop Photography.

McElrone chose Chicago, in part, as a response to the current times:
“We are a century removed from the era of the play, but in our Roaring Twenties timeline, the power of ‘celebrity’ under the ever-changing ‘rule of law’ are remarkably similar. Times are hard and chaotic,
everyone has an angle, and some
of us are cashing in where they can,” said McElrone. “The media circus
that surrounds every new scandal consumes the public — and ‘nowadays’ we too move on from yesterday’s news in an instant when some fresh outrage shows up. Beneath all the glitz and fun of that other ‘20s is a laser-focused commentary on society’s response to turbulent times.”

Dawn Morningstar’s choreography filled the performance with movements that provided levity as well as menace. Dance Captain Autumn Jewel Hogan didn’t have much space to work with, but created some ebullient dances that complemented the music well. 

Kudos to Joe Trainor’s orchestra of Virginia Cheung, Josh Dowiak, Christopher Ertelt, Kanako Neale, Gary Oberparleiter, Jim Olson, Nate Peterson, and Bryan Tuk. The backing music is critical to underscore moods, support song vocals, and to entertain entre’ act. The musicians performed beautifully; knew when to be subtle; plus ebbed and flowed skillfully with the storyline.

Founded in 1993, City Theater Company performs contemporary comedies, new works, and classic musicals to critical acclaim inside The Delaware Contemporary. Both institutions are invested in promoting the work of local and emerging artists, advancing opportunity and growth by and for the community, and welcoming all those looking to experience art.

Chicago will run through December 20. Curtain is at 8 o’clock for all performances save for the December 14 Sunday matinee (2 PM). The run time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. City Theater Company’s home is at The Delaware Contemporary, located at 200 South Madison street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. 

General admission tickets ($45) can be purchased at the box office or online at www.city-theater.org. Special ticket pricing is available for military personnel ($35) and students ($25). Do check the website for availability, because show tickets are moving faster than Roxie's rising star. 

All shows feature admission to the adjacent museum galleries, and a cash bar (with a signature drink) is available. The Delaware Contemporary offers free parking and is a short walk from the Joseph R. Biden Amtrak train station. Please call the box office at 302.220.8285 or email info@city-theater.org for details.

Note: This show is rated PG-13 due to adult themes, (simulated) murder, plus sexual and suggestive content. 

“Razzle dazzle 'em / Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it / And the reaction will be passionate” — Razzle Dazzle

Isn't it grand? Isn't it great? "Chicago" at The Playhouse certainly is!

Full disclosure: This is one of my favorite musicals*, largely for its incredible music and choreography.

*After initially learning about legendary choreographer Bob Fosse via Paula Abdul’s 1989 music video homage, I had to seek out all things Fosse-related. Later, I found Chicago and was completely taken by it. 

The cast of Chicago. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

The longest-running American musical in Broadway history, the production features music and lyrics from iconic partners Kander & Ebb, book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, and a storyline that delivers all the salaciousness we adore (maybe "nowadays" more than ever): scandal, sex, murder, media frenzy, a perverse craving for celebrity.

To me, this show is quintessential Broadway – the way I envision shows might have been during the “old days” – no monstrous sets, flashy light shows or rock star-penned scores, but rather about the raw energy generated from dynamic music and choreography, and compelling characters. It delivers in every aspect.

The production set is stark, the costumes black and scanty yet sleek, the cast steamy and sexy. Hoots and cheers come from the crowd throughout the evening, but especially for the sizzling signature opening, All That Jazz, that sets the tone for the entire show. 

Tonight, the capacity crowd is noticeably heavy with women – I’m imagining groups of GNOs giggling madly at the “justified” murderesses of the Cell Block Tango in a warped female-empowerment moment.

Terra C. MacLeod plays a slick Velma Kelly – the former Vaudeville star serving time for the double-murder of her hubby and sister – with a perfect balance of sass and snark. You can almost feel yourself agreeing with her and Mama as they lament, “Whatever happened to class?”

Dylis Croman as Roxie Hart.
Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

Dylis Croman expertly plays up the unrefined Roxie's conniving and relentless nature, a woman who’ll not be stopped in her quest for fame – by a jilting lover, dull (if still-loving) husband or jealous inmate. The only thing that could stop her is the worst fate of all – waning public interest.

Jailhouse matron “Mama” Morton, played with command and style by Roz Ryan, lights up the crowd with her rendition of When You’re Good to Mama. (Incidentally, Morton now holds the record for most performances in a musical by a leading actress.) 

Other standout characters, of course, are the orchestra, who kept the audience animated, even dancing out the doors at the end; the compassionate Mary Sunshine (with a hilarious surprise), played by D. Ratell; and Billy Flynn, played by Tom Hewitt, who held an impressively looooooooong note in his number, All I Care About, to renewed cheers and hoots.

From the first notes of All That Jazz to the final sparkly curtain, Velma, Roxie and company kept us revved, rapt and ready to “paint the town” with them in their twisted pursuit of fortune and fame. This beloved musical is a night on the town you simply can't miss. 

Chicago runs at The Playhouse on Rodney Square through February 28.

See http://duponttheatre.com.

Chicago at the Wilmington Drama League

The orchestra was perched on a rooftop in a brilliant set design by Kurt Kohl which let the audience see them and made them part of the show. As soon as we were seated, Chris Tolomeo and his jazz orchestra started some warm-up numbers from his CD to set the feeling of 1920s speak-easy. Then Kitty (Leeia C. Ferguson) came out in a gangster’s raincoat to do the house announcements in a well-written 1920's patois – letting those dancer legs peak out through the thigh-high slits.

Lights down, then up again showing back of a dancer who starts 'All that jazz' using the brilliant choreography created by Jody Anderson - whose 2007 Candlelight Theatre production of Chicago won the Philadelphia Theatre Alliance Barrymore Award. Not only were all the dancers top quality, but the production on opening night was as tight as anything I have seen in Delaware. Yet it was Barbara Wright's perfect cold stare/warm smile combination as Velda Kelly that made the show for me. I had seen Catherine Zeta-Jones in the film but I was even more captivated by Ms. Wright's dancing and her ability to give that "I'll-smile-when-I-murder-you" look throughout the show.

Watching a few clips of the movie showed me that although the fade-ins and technical gloss give it polish, there is a dimension missing on film that you get with live theatre that I could hardly describe. When Billy Flynn, the shyster lawyer (Jeffrey Santoro) does his shtick with the dancing girls and feathers - your mouth is still hanging open and asking: can this be Delaware? The well-seasoned musical backbone of the Tolomeo orchestra gave a tremendous boost to the smoothness of entrances and dancing.

Music Director Steve Weatherman and Choreographer Jody Anderson deserve much praise for this well-rehearsed show, but credit for coordinating the entire production goes to Director Matt Casarino who said he had never had a show so ready on opening night. The casting, the music and the dancing are so good that I highly recommend you catch a show during the run concluding November 13.

See wilmingtondramaleague.org