Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT National Tour Present by Broadway In Chicago

SOME LIKE IT HOT brings old-fashioned musical comedy, hijinks, and a ton of superbly executed tap dancing to the stage. 

With a book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin and score by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, the Tony-nominated musical closely follows the plot of its 1959 movie source material. After witnessing a mob crime, musician duo Joe (Matt Loehr) and Jerry (Tavis Kordell) need to make a hasty escape out of 1933 Chicago. The two disguise themselves as women — Josephine and Daphne — so they can become members of Sweet Sue’s (Tarra Conner Jones) all-female band and hitch a ride to California. But antics follow Joe/Josephine and Jerry/Daphne wherever they go. Joe soon falls for the band’s lead singer Sugar (Leandra Ellis-Gaston), while Jerry/Daphne charms soda pop heir and obscenely rich hotelier Osgood (Edware Juvier). With mob boss Spats (Devon Goffman) on their heels, Joe and Jerry must find a way to untangle their messes and stay alive! 

SOME LIKE IT HOT is full of daffy, high-energy musical numbers and laugh-out-loud funny one-liners from López and Ruffin’s book.This touring cast came well prepared to deliver director and choreographer Casey Nicolaw’s vision at a fast clip. While the farcical antics and slapstick jokes aren’t entirely new, this is a quintessential good time. Likewise, Shaiman’s musical has a nice pep in its step and Wittman and Shaiman understand how to write fun, accessible lyrics. I was particularly charmed that Shaimand Witman’s “Let’s Be Bad,” originally written for the TV show SMASH, made its way into the show as the second act opener. 

An energetic musical comedy score like this one requires some big belters, and luckily, Nicolaw’s touring cast is up to the challenge. Jones has a commanding presence and a full powerful belt that she displays from the jump as speakeasy operator and band manager Sweet Sue. Devon Hadsell was also particularly charming as Minnie, Sweet Sue’s harried right-hand woman. Loehr manages to avoid making Joe too slick, easily switching between the Joe/Josephine personas. He’s also a marvelously engaging dancer. Without a doubt, Kordell is a highlight as Jerry/Daphne. Kordell has a gorgeous belt and attacks Daphne’s big solos with aplomb (particularly the second act number “You Coulda Knocked Me Over With a Feather”). Kordell also plays the character arc with a lovely authenticity and heart, as Jerry/Daphne discovers that being Daphne makes them feel more like themselves than ever before. The material avoids being too heavy-handed on this front as well, making it a sweet journey of self-discovery that doesn’t feel out of place. 

While Ellis-Gaston has a pretty, bright singing voice and a sweet presence, her character has the dullest numbers in the show. Shaiman and Wittman have given Sugar two downtempo “I Want” numbers about escaping her life — “At the Old Majestic Nickel Matinee” and “Dance The World Away” (the latter a duet with Joe). That first song would be an easy cut, and I wish the show’s proverbial leading lady had more dynamic, upbeat material. 

Nicholaw’s choreography is an undisputed highlight of this tour, which is complemented by Gregg Barnes’s glittering costumes (sparkle and sequins abound, right on the money for this show). The tap dancing comes fast, furious, and beautifully executed. And while Sugar’s downtempo songs and some other snoozy moments (like Osgood’s on-the-nose solo about Jerry/Daphne coming into their own “Fly, Mariposa, Fly) could be excised, the 11 o’clock tap dancing number makes it worth it. Instead of a sung-through grand finale, Shaiman has composed “Tip Tap Trouble,” a terrific backdrop for Nicholaw’s frenzied, wild goose chase tap dancing number. I loved that the production took farcical antics and turned them into literal tap dancing antics. It’s a thrilling and mega-fun moment. 

Thanks to the delightful choreography, some fun uptempo numbers, and a winsome leading duo in Loehr and Kordell, SOME LIKE IT HOT delivers warm and energetic musical entertainment. 

SOME LIKE IT HOT runs in Chicago through November 3, 2024 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 West Randolph. Tickets are $30 - $135 with some premium, lottery, and rush seats available. 

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy 

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