Looking for some Broadway razzle dazzle? Since its Broadway revival in 1996, Chicago has captivated audiences with its razor-sharp satire, unforgettable score, and timeless story of fame, scandal, and corruption.
What's it all about? Set in the Prohibition-era jazz age, Chicago follows the trials of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two women accused of murder, as they vie for the spotlight and a chance to escape conviction with the help of smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn. The show is a biting commentary on media sensationalism and the public’s fascination with celebrity, making it as relevant today as when it first premiered.
The original production of Chicago debuted on Broadway in 1975, with a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb and choreography by the legendary Bob Fosse. While it received critical acclaim, the show truly found its enduring success with the 1996 revival, directed by Walter Bobbie and featuring Ann Reinking’s Fosse-inspired choreography. The revival swept the 1997 Tony Awards, winning six, including Best Revival of a Musical, and has become a staple of Broadway ever since.
A minimalist yet striking production design sets Chicago apart. Eschewing elaborate sets, the show relies on sleek black costumes, a prominently featured jazz band on stage, and Fosse’s signature choreography. The stripped-down aesthetic highlights the performers and the music, creating an intimate and electrifying atmosphere that feels fresh even decades later.
The score is a major highlight, with iconic numbers like “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” and “Razzle Dazzle” capturing the glitz, grit, and irony of the show’s world. The music, paired with Ebb’s witty lyrics, delivers a captivating blend of humor, cynicism, and drama that has made Chicago a musical theater classic.
Now the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, Chicago has also found international acclaim with productions around the world and a 2002 Academy Award-winning film adaptation, starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Whether you’re drawn to its sizzling dance numbers, unforgettable music, or its sly critique of society, Chicago remains a landmark of musical theater, proving that some things truly never go out of style.
We are watching a torch pass from the lost glory of the Bob Fosse musical to - at the very least - this single important revival. And it is bliss. It is also edgy, erotic, cynical, funny, nonstop stylish and, though based on a 21-year-old show, so prescient about '90s justice, the press and celebrity that it's almost eerie.
In the pulse-racing revival of the musical 'Chicago,' which opened last night at the Richard Rodgers Theater, all the world's a con game, and show business is the biggest scam of all. It makes a difference, though, when the hustle involves a cast of top-flight artists perfectly mated to their parts and some of the sexiest, most sophisticated dancing seen on Broadway in years. By the time the priceless Bebe Neuwirth, playing a hoofer turned murderer, greets the audience at the beginning of the second act with the salutation 'Hello, suckers!,' it's a label we're all too happy to accept. The America portrayed onstage may be a vision of hell, but the way it's being presented flies us right into musical heaven.
Price: $49.00
Where: Box Office only
Limit: Two per customer
Restrictions: Not available for Saturday evenings - Subject to availability.
Price: $27
Where: Box Office
Limit: Two per customer
Restrictions: Available day of performance only when the performance is sold out.
1975 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1979 | West End |
London Production West End |
1996 | Off-Broadway |
Encores! Concert Off-Broadway |
1996 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
1997 | US Tour |
1st National Tour US Tour |
1997 | West End |
London Revival West End |
1997 | US Tour |
2nd National Tour US Tour |
2012 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
2014 | US Tour |
National Tour (2014-2015) US Tour |
US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
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2018 | West End |
West End Return Engagement West End |
2022 | US Tour |
US Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Bebe Neuwirth |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Ann Reinking |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design | William Ivey Long |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Walter Bobbie |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design | Ken Billington |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | James Naughton |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Marcia Lewis |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Bebe Neuwirth |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Barry and Fran Weissler |
1997 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Kardana Productions, Inc |
1996 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress - Musical | Bebe Neuwirth |
1996 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Ann Reinking |
1996 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director - Musical | Walter Bobbie |
1996 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor - Musical | Joel Grey |
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