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Kick Off the New Roaring Twenties With CHICAGO at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre

By: Jan. 08, 2020
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Kick Off the New Roaring Twenties With CHICAGO at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre  Image

Take a journey to Jazz-age Chicago for a little razzle dazzle with a sizzling all-new production of the revered American musical Chicago!

Onstage January 14 through February 2 at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Chicago tells the story of rival vaudevillian murderesses Velma and Roxie who are locked up in Chicago's Cook County Jail for crimes of passion. Along with a slew of other murdering inmates, Velma and Roxie enlist the help of lawyer Billy Flynn to turn their incarceration into a media frenzy. Packed with sensual choreography and sexy renditions of "Cell Block Tango" and "All That Jazz," the story satirizes corruption, greed and the enduring American-style pursuit of fame.

"Chicago is a true musical triumph, with a vibrant score, showstopping dancing and dark humor that consistently feels fresh and new - and our audiences have made sure they're not going to miss it," said Andrew Kato, the Theatre's producing artistic director and chief executive. "This show has sold out faster than any production in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's history, with only a few final tickets that remain. Tickets are also going fast for our next two productions, Brighton Beach Memoirs and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I'd like to encourage theatergoers not to wait and buy their tickets now to ensure they have seats."

With a book by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, music by John Kander and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual crimes and criminals she reported on. The original Broadway production (choreographed by Fosse and starring Chita Rivera) opened in 1975, then was revived on Broadway in 1996, with a production that won six Tony Awards® and holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. Chicago has toured extensively and been produced by theaters around the world, with a 2002 film version of the musical that won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

"Smashing!" raved Newsweek of Chicago, while Time magazine dubbed the musical "a triumph!" and Entertainment Weekly praised it as "electrifying!" The Huffington Post described it as "ever inspiring and feeling even more timely now than when it was written," with a biting energy that feels "as upbeat, smart and on point today as when it was written in 1975."

Directed and choreographed by two time Tony® nominee Denis Jones (an original company member of the show's 1996 Broadway revival), the show's cast of 20 triple-threat performers will star Sarah Bowden as Velma (known for the first national tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A Chorus Line, Jerome Robbins' Broadway) and Samantha Sturm as Roxie (whose Broadway credits include The Addams Family musical, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Matilda The Musical, On The Town and Holiday Inn, among others).

Jones, a sought-after New York choreographer known for the Theatre's productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage aux Folles and The Boy Friend, began his career as a performer before making his Broadway choreographic debut with 2015's Honeymoon in Vegas. He followed that up with Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical in 2016 and Tootsie in 2019, both of which earned him Tony® nominations. Chicago's continued relevance in today's society makes it an exciting project, he said.

"One of the things that's so brilliant about Chicago is that it's a period piece that is based very loosely on actual events - but yet it remains timeless in its examination of the cult of celebrity in America," Jones said. "It literally jumps off the page and feels incredibly relevant at this moment that we are living in. This production will have solid footing in both the past and in how this musical speaks to modern audiences today."

The production's creative team features a host of talented professionals, including scenic designer Adam Koch (known for the Theatre's productions of West Side Story, Disney Beauty and the Beast and Disney Newsies The Musical) and his longtime collaborator, associate scenic designer and projection designer Steven Royal; lighting designer Cory Pattak (the Theatre's West Side Story, Disney Newsies The Musical, Born Yesterday, Me and My Girl, The Audience and Other Desert Cities); costume designer Andrea Hood (the Theatre's The Mystery of Edwin Drood), music director Eric Alsford (the Theatre's A Chorus Line, The Wiz, Les Miserables, South Pacific and Mamma Mia!), wig designer Jon Jordan (the Theatre's Hairspray) and award-winning resident sound designer Marty Mets.

Patrons may purchase tickets for club level premium seats in the Theatre's premium space, The Green Room, and enjoy the stylish lounge and amenities throughout the season. Amenities include spacious 23" seats, a lounge with a private bar and restrooms, one free drink of choice with ticket purchase (evening performances only for season shows), panoramic views of the stage and a private entrance and elevator. Groups who purchase all 62 Club Level seats to a performance receive full access to The Green Room Club Level Lounge at no additional charge to host a private event, such as a catered dinner or cocktail party.

Chicago is sponsored by Isanne and Sandy Fisher, Suzanne Niedland in Loving Memory of Art and Meg Niedland, Kathy and Joe Savarese, Homecare America and The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.

Single tickets for Chicago, Brighton Beach Memoirs and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying start at $62. For tickets and showtimes, call (561) 575-2223 or visit www.jupitertheatre.org. For more information on bringing your group to the Theatre, contact group sales associate Lina Lacy at (561) 972-6117.



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