Chicago

Three and ½ Stars (very good)

Location: Cheney Hall, 177 Hartford Road, Manchester, Connecticut

Production: Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Artistic director Jane Cerosky. Musical director Tony B. Romeo. Choreographer Darlene Zoller. Stage manager Heidi J. Bengraff. Props Linda Lydon. Lighting design by Vince Ponce. Set design by Leslie Allison. Wigs and hair design by Joel Silvestro.

Running time: 2 1/2 hours, with one intermission

Show Times: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. through April 13.

Tickets: $20 general admission, $17 students and seniors - $28. Call the box office at 875-1727, or visit their Web site at www.mmplayers.org

ACTOR…CHARACTER

Marge Kelly … Announcer
Mona Tiglio … Velma Kelly
Amy Facey … Roxie Hart
Bob Forker … Fred Casely/Doctor/Roxy’s Boy/Reporter
Dave Gorman … Sgt. Fogarty/Tailor/Aaron/Foreman/Roxy’s Boy/Reporter
Randy Boyd … Amos Hart
Marguerite Kelly … Liz/Fan Dancer/Reporter
Lisa Garofalo … Annie/Fan Dancer/Reporter
Kate Ingram … June/Fan Dancer/Reporter
Marissa Giglio … Hunyak/Fan Dancer/Reporter
Stella Demand … Mona/Fan Dancer/Reporter
Danielle Matrow … Matron Mama Morton
Michael Forgetta … Billy Flynn
Nancy-Jo Himhelwhite … Mary Sunshine
Martina Desnoyers … Go-to-Hell Kitty
Larry Lizardi … Harry/Clerk/Bailiff/Roxy’s Boy/Reporter
Marc Mirizzi … Martin Harrison/Roxy’s Boy/Reporter
Pierre Marteney … The Judge
Jaime-Lynn Fontaine … Fan Dancer/Reporter
Ross Hoel … Roxy’s Boy/Reporter

MANCHESTER – Whoever said vaudeville is dead has not seen the musical “Chicago.” Produced by the Manchester Musical Players, this show is all one could hope for in a musical – with slues of pizzazz, panache, and pop.

This is a “Chicago” that Bob Fosse himself would be pleased with. Fosse was the original choreographer and co-writer for the show, which opened on Broadway in 1975. With spread fan fingers and sexy poses, this show’s choreography, by Darlene Zoller, stays close to Fosse’s jazzy showy style.

Set in the 1920s in Chicago, Illinois the show centers on an adulterous woman, Roxie Hart, played with dynamic ambition by Amy Facey, who kills her lover in a fit of rage and then hires a locally famous lawyer, Billy Flynn, played with just the right degree of cynical hubris by Michael Forgetta.

As way of introduction Flynn says, “if Jesus Christ were alive today, things would have turned out differently,” with Flynn as the Lord’s council. Funny stuff.

In jail, Hart runs up against another accused murderess, Velma Kelly, played by Mona Tiglio, who bears a striking resemblance to Liza Minnelli, which works well for her role and the usurped former center of attention.

The show follows the two women as their fortunes ebb and flow with the fickle media’s focus, where today’s darling quickly becomes yesterday’s news. Each time they begin to fade from the spotlight, one or the other ups the ante in the ambitious fame game. Does the name Britney Spears ring a bell?

Almost every number had intricately precise dance steps, with either two or three or 10 dancers. When the numbers get that large, if anyone skips one beat or miss-times one leg kick, it is glaringly obvious – but consistently throughout this almost 3 hour show everyone was in unison - quite an accomplishment.

What makes this show timeless and gives it it’s depth, is not just the songs and dance, which really are terrific, but the darkly funny, sardonic view of this crazy world, where murder and mayhem is our collective entertainment, as the jail house Matron Mama Morton, played with sassy gusto by Danielle Matrow, so aptly observes.

Other standouts include the riveting Nancy-Jo Himhelwhite, in what can only be called an inspired casting choice, as Mary Sunshine, the operatically theatrical naïve reporter and Randy Boyd as Roxy’s self-effacing, dimwitted husband, Amos Hart, who sings the terrific “Mister Cellophane.”

Other songs, like “All that Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” “Razzle Dazzle,” were memorable, and the orchestra, conducted by Tony B. Romeo was just top-notch, and worth hearing all by themselves.

It’s a crime that this show is closing Sunday. If you like music, dancing, and dark humor, Manchester Musical Player’s production of “Chicago” is not to be missed.