BWW Reviews: CHICAGO comes to the San Diego Civic Center

 

The merry murderesses of CHICAGO are back in town!  This killer musical is playing through Sunday, May 13th at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

CHICAGO follows Roxie Hart, the wife and club dancer who murders her lover.  In the process of avoiding a conviction and gaining the fame she so desperately craves she dupes her husband, the public, the press and her rival prisoner, Velma Kelly.  Billy Flynn, the best criminal lawyer in Chicago, takes her case and her money and turns her crime into a series of sensational headlines. This Kander and Ebb critically acclaimed musical was the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.

CHICAGO has famously been a vehicle for stars making their Broadway debut and this show is no different as supermodel Christie Brinkley takes the stage as Roxie Hart. Brinkley is still beautiful and is a strong presence on stage. She fits the look of Roxie who is wannabe glamour girl from the chorus. Brinkley brings a charm to the part that makes Roxie seem more ditzy than coldly calculating. She gamely tackles the songs and the tricky choreography, although what she lacks in skill is made up for in enthusiasm. Her voice is nice and has a husky tone to it that fits the character, but the lack of strength and breathy tone sometimes makes it hard to hear. 

Amra-Faye Wright plays Roxie’s rival prisoner, Velma Kelly. Wright’s voice is strong and has a brassy quality that fits this sassy and unrepentant murderer.  She is a lovely dancer and brings nice sharpness and athleticism to her numbers, especially “I Can’t Do It Alone.”

As Billy Flynn, John O’Hurley is a smooth talking charmer and plays the oil slick lawyer to the hilt.  He is especially good in his interactions with Roxie’s poor sap of a husband, Amos (Ron Orbach).  O’Hurley has a lovely voice and his numbers were hits with the audience. His interactions with the cast and specifically Brinkley, were especially sharp in “We Both Reached for the Gun” and "Razzle Dazzle."

The show features a strong cast including Carol Woods as the fabulous and funny Mamma Morton and Ron Orbach as Roxie’s husband, Amos. The ensemble is strong and they are talented dancers and singers. Standout numbers as a company are “Cell Block Tango” and “All That Jazz”. They make the sharp Bob Fosse style choreography by Ann Reinking look effortless when it is anything but that. The bandstand and the orchestra mostly occupy the stage, however this allows for some clever interplay between the characters and the conductor Don York. 

CHICAGO is a fun musical, but this version seems a bit weak.  Nonetheless, the story of the public’s fascination with empty fame seems to still be going strong.

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CHICAGO  is playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre through Sunday, May 13th.  For more information on show times and tickets go to www.broadwaysd.com or call 619.570.1100

Photo provided by Broadway San Diego

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