One of Australia’s favourite musicals, CHICAGO, opens at the Canberra Theatre Centre this week, the first time a professional production of the Broadway classic has played in Australia’s national capital.
The final city in its Australian tour and the longest-running show currently playing on Broadway, this scorching hot masterpiece includes a dazzling score that includes All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango and Razzle Dazzle. Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, it’s no wonder CHICAGO has been honoured with six Tony Awards®, two Olivier Awards, and a Grammy®.
“I’m thrilled that our new production of CHICAGO is heading to Canberra,” said producer John Frost for Crossroads Live. “CHICAGO has everything that people love about a Broadway musical – a story of fame, fortune and all that jazz, one show-stopping number after another and the most amazing dancing you’ve ever seen. It has received rave reviews and sold out performances across the country, so it’s Canberra’s turn to enjoy the razzle dazzle of this New York institution.”
“This month Canberrans are excited to welcome Broadway favourite CHICAGO to the Canberra Theatre Centre,” said Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the ACT. “ACT Government support through the Major Event Fund enables us to attract major theatre touring productions such as CHICAGO. This multi-award winning musical production will play to local audiences and visitors, boosting the city’s entertainment precinct and supporting the local economy as part of our spring events program.”
The star-studded cast includes one of Australian theatre’s greatest leading men, Anthony Warlow, as cunning lawyer Billy Flynn; one of Australia’s favourite actors, Zoë Ventoura, as Velma Kelly ; musical theatre star Lucy Maunder as Roxie Hart; Peter Rowsthorn as Roxie’s gullible husband Amos; and Asabi Goodman as tough prison warden Matron ‘Mama’ Morton.
S. Valeri features as the soft-hearted crime reporter Mary Sunshine, while the talented group of ensemble and swings comprise Canberra-born Hayden Baum, Devon Braithwaite, Olivia Carniato, Angelique Cassimatis, Todd Dewberry, Louis Fontaine, Chaska Halliday, Sarah Heath, Ethan Jones, Savannah Lind, Kristina McNamara, Joe Meldrum, Tom New, Nathan Pinnell, Rania Potaka Osborne, Emma Russell and Romina Villafranca.
Set amidst the decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer Billy Flynn to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.
Based on the 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, CHICAGO has a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO is choreographed by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and is directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie. CHICAGO features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer.
Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery… and All That Jazz. What else could you desire in a musical? The original and the best, CHICAGO is back. It would be a crime to miss it!
CHICAGO
Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, Canberra
Season: 7 – 29 September 2024
Bookings: www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au
For more information, visit: www.chicagomusical.com.au for details.
Images: Zoë Ventoura and Lucy Maunder in CHICAGO – photo by Jeff Busby | Lucy Maunder as Roxie Hart and the Australian Cast of CHICAGO – photo by Jeff Busby