This past Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of seeing “Chicago” at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville. “Chicago” is a musical that transports us to the world of jazz, liquor and cold-blooded murder, all set in the roarin’ 1920s club scene. The story follows Roxy Hart, the wife of a mechanic, who shoots her affair partner in a rage.
Roxy has dreams of becoming a big star while in a women’s correctional facility awaiting trial. She competes for a ticket out of prison punishment-free alongside a club star named Velma Kelly, another murder inmate at the same facility. Both women play a part with criminal lawyer Billy Flynn in hopes of gaining publicity to become a performance star. This musical is full of drama, passion, love, hatred, competition, back-stabbing and sweet, sweet jazz music.
Enough spoiling the play (which is also a movie; I highly recommend watching it). “Chicago” is one of my favorite musicals of all time. The soundtrack is packed full of swinging jazz songs, wonderful vocals and a great cast, no matter who it is. This was my first time seeing the musical live.
Overall, the TPAC rendition of “Chicago” exceeded my expectations, which were quite high to begin with. Seeing it live added a whole new level of authenticity and emotion to the plot and characters. Seeing the cast on the stage made me feel like they were real people rather than characters on a screen.
The choreography for this musical was phenomenal. “Chicago” combines 1920s swing dance with a circus vibe, creating a whole new dancing experience. Your eyes are constantly moving to all parts of the stage; both the main characters and the dancing ensemble performed beautifully.
The music ensemble was unique to me because instead of the ensemble being in the orchestra pit underneath the stage, they performed on stage with the rest of the cast. Performing on stage added a new level of dimension to transport us into this perverse jazz club. The musical aspect and involvement made everything feel all the more real.
The acting cast was also phenomenal; all the lead actors were incredibly talented in acting, singing and dancing. The characters were portrayed perfectly in my eyes, and all the actors added their own little quirks into their characters.
Seeing this production live has satisfied my little theatre kid’s heart. I highly recommend going to see it live if given the opportunity. Govs on the Go, a program hosted by Austin Peay State University’s Student Life and Engagement, is providing a chance to see “Chicago” for 20 dollars on Feb. 2. If live theatre is not for you, the movie is spectacular as well.