The Friday 5: Nashville Rep's CHICAGO

Nashville Repertory Theatre's unveils its production of the Kander and Ebb classic Chicago this weekend, as Music City is transformed into the Windy City - well, the Andrew Johnson Theatre at TPAC will be, at least - for a three week run of the show that asks the musical question "What price fame?"

Martha Wilkinson, the undisputed queen of musical theater in Nashville, leads the cast as wannabe vaudeville star Roxie Hart and is paired once again with director Rene D. Copeland, Nashville Rep's producing artistic director - in just the latest collaboration between the two since the 1990s. Easily, Nashville Rep's Chicago is one of the most talked-about productions of the 2015-16 theater season.

Today, three members of the show's acclaimed cast - Corrie Maxwell (Velma to Wilkinson's Roxie), Jess Darnell and Mia Rose - enter The Friday 5 spotlight and give answers to our questions that are sure to give you some much-needed insight into what has brought them to this point, what motivates them as artists and what roles they hunger for...plus, if you play close attention, they'll tell you why you need to book passage to Chicago: its relevance, they say, is more pronounced today than in any other time in the award-winning musical's impressive history.

Corrie Maxwell

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? I am the youngest of four by about a decade and my sisters and brother used to perform in their high school plays, etc. I loved watching them, especially my brother. He was magnetic on stage. I think I knew even then this is what I wanted to do. Then my dad took me to see A Chorus Line on Broadway and I spent the whole time on the edge of my seat; tears in my eyes. I wanted to do THAT!

What's your favorite pre-show ritual? Hot tea with honey, stretching and breathing. Pretty basic.

What's your favorite, most memorable, example of "the show must go on"? Hmmm... In a show at the Barn one of our actors missed his entrance cue. We were all waiting on stage for quite a while trying to as lib because we couldn't go on without his character, until we all finally broke. I got so tickled that I had tears of laughter streaming down my face and the audience was in stitches. Then we heard the footsteps running down the hall and in he popped to a thunderous applause. It was hysterical.

What's your dream role? I've been really lucky to get to play a few. But for now I'd say Diana (Next to Normal), Inga (Young Frankenstein), Kate (Kiss Me, Kate), Polly (Crazy For You) and Rose (Gypsy).

Who's your theatrical crush? Meryl Streep, Bernadette Peters, Julie Andrews

EXTRA-SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: Why should people come see Chicago? It is as relevant or more today than when it was written or even written about. Oh, and the music is outstanding. The band is incredible, not to mention the outstanding performers you'll get to see onstage.

Jess Darnell

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? What a question! I had to do some digging for this one! I remember seeing a live stage show of Scooby-Doo, called Stage Fright, complete with all the cartoon sound-effects and costumes. That was in January 2002, but later that year in September, the tour of The Phantom of the Opera rolled through TPAC, so I would say my first legit theater experience was at Phantom. I would have been about six years old!

What's your favorite pre-show ritual? When I was in high school, our blackbox would be empty before call, so I would usually go in, put some music on, and do some yoga/dancing to get my body warmed up. It varies from show to show. Some people have really weird rituals, but I've yet to develop anything quirky!

What's your favorite, most memorable, example of "the show must go on"? I was playing Harry Witherspoon in my school's production of Lucky Stiff. We were at intermission and a stagehand needed to change the batteries in my mic pack. The stagehand leaves, and I'm standing backstage without a microphone. While I'm standing there, wondering, "Where is everyone?" I hear the music for the top of the second act...but here's the thing: at the end of the first act, the whole cast is onstage -- I'm in the center -- we freeze, and the lights go out. When the lights come up for act two, we're in our previous positions so we can unfreeze and continue the show. Only I'm not onstage, I'm backstage, waiting for my microphone. So I run as fast as I can to the side from which I usually enter. Somehow I managed to hit my mark by finagling my way onstage with some improvised choreography. Later in the act, the crew sent me a mic, hidden in a set piece, but I couldn't get it to stay on my face, so I did the rest of the show without a microphone. I should also add that this was the same night they filmed the performance, and the same night that there was a bat flying around in the theater.

What's your dream role? I'd really like to tackle Sweeney in Sweeney Todd, Ken in Red or be in the ensemble in Mame, La Cage or Hello, Dolly!

Who's your theatrical crush? Elaine Stritch, of course, who else? Gosh, I love that woman.

EXTRA-SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: Why should people come see Chicago? Well, for starters, we've transformed TPAC's Johnson Theater into a gorgeous 1920s jazz club, the band is outstanding, the choreography is mesmerizing, and our cast is really, really wonderful, so it's going to be unlike anything you've ever seen. But, I think people should see Chicago because it's relevant to right now - a lot of people are in the spotlight for the wrong reasons nowadays, and the press and public find entertaining values in the razzle-dazzle of scandals and schemes. So, come see Chicago to get your philosophical and artistic appetites whetted, and for some good old fashion entertainment as well!

Mia Rose

What was your first taste of "live, onstage" theater? My first onstage experience was Cinderella at age 11. I was really nervous and shy in auditions and got cast as the horse's rear end (which was actually really fun). I landed the lead in the next show, though!

What's your favorite pre-show ritual? It definitely depends on the show but if it's a musical, I love listening to the overture backstage and doing a happy little excited dance to get pumped up. I will definitely be doing a happy dance during the Chicago overture because it's killer and we have killer musicians!

What's your favorite, most memorable, example of "the show must go on"? I am going to cheat with this answer because this isn't my story but it's my favorite story in this genre. My good friend Patrick Pearson did Fiddler in high school and his story about Fruma Sarah takes the cake. Here it is in his words: "They had her tied to a rope - she would fly in and do her scene, and she would hang in the air out of sight during the wedding scene, because they couldn't lower her to the ground to unhook her without the audience seeing until the curtain closed. And she was hanging there and the boy who was supposed to hold her rope let go, and she swung like a pendulum through the wedding scene. She swung back, and the boy couldn't catch her (thanks physics), so she flew down across again and started improving lines every time she swung in and out of sight - don't marry Lazar Wolf!...Pearls!...Mazel Tov! Then it got to the point where she then was spinning like a top faster and faster in the center of the stage above everyone yelling out any lines she could think of. They eventually just closed the curtain and ended the act that way."

What's your dream role? I'd love to play "Girl" in Once, the Musical, but I need to work on my piano chops so I haven't gotten up the courage to audition yet. I'm also a folk singer-songwriter so that show is the perfect blend of my two passions.

Who's your theatrical crush? Victoria Clark.

EXTRA-SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: Why should people come see Chicago? Because we are dancing in our undies! And also it's a stunning production with humor, darkness, incredible music, and a message that is as applicable today as ever.

Photos from Nashville Repertory Theatre's Chicago by Michael Scott Evans

About the show: 2015 First Night Honoree Martha Wilkinson - the winner of nine First Night Award as outstanding lead actress in a musical - leads the Nashville Repertory Theatre cast of the Oscar- and Tony Award-winning Chicago, running March 19-April 16 at the Andrew Johnson Theater at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

Nashville Rep's producing artistic director Rene D. Copeland directs the murderous musical, which features a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Music direction is by Jason Tucker and choreography by Pam Atha. Designers are Gary C. Hoff (Scenic Designer), Trish Clark (Costume Designer), Phillip Franck (Lighting Designer), and Jeff Ent (Sound Designer). Technical Director is Tyler Axt.

"We're inviting the audience into a 1920's nightclub where most people are only looking out for number one" says Copeland. "Murder, gin, and jazz will be the vibe, and with some of the audience at stage-front cabaret tables, each performance will be a rowdy delight. The music is the best, and it's great fun to take a well-loved show like Chicago and make it our own. Nashville Rep is as excited about its approach as the audience is."

In addition to Wilkinson, Nashville Rep's cast includes Corrie Maxwell (Velma), Geoff Davin (Billy), with Jennifer Whitcomb-Oliva (Matron "Mama" Morton), Shawn Knight (Amos/Ensemble) and J. London (Mary Sunshine). Members of the ensemble include DeVon Buchanan, Wesley Carpenter, Jess Darnell, Billy Ditty, Rosemary Fossee, Mia Rose Lynne, Neely Scott and Everett Tarlton.

In the iconic Kander and Ebb show, originally directed and choreographed on Broadway by Fosse, wannabe chorine Roxie Hart tries to pin the murder of her lover on her unwitting husband, Amos, but the jig is up and Roxie lands in Cook County Jail. Vaudeville star and accused murderer Velma Kelly is less than pleased to see Roxie on her cell block, since Roxie's sensational crime and feigned innocence capture the public's attention - thanks to the easily swayed and manipulated press corps, led by the notorious Mary Sunshine - as well as Velma's hotshot lawyer Billy Flynn.

The award-winning, darkly comic musical whisks audiences into a world where everyone - anyone, actually - can be a dazzling performer, truth is defined by what garners the most attention, and owning the spotlight is the most important thing in life.

Tickets are $25 for previews and start at $50 for regular run. Cabaret tables close to the stage seat four and begin at $60 per person. Tickets can be purchased online at nashvillerep.org or by calling the Box Office at (615) 782-4040. Preview performances of Chicago are March 17 and 18, and opening night is Saturday, March 19. Chicago runs through April 16.

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