Learn about the musical’s record-breaking Broadway revival, its many celebrity casts, how to get tickets, and all that jazz.
Enter a world of jazz, crime, and razzle dazzle at Chicago on Broadway. Set in the 1920s and based on real events, this satirical show follows wannabe jazz age stars who get their fame not just for their singing or dancing talent, but for committing murders that make sensationalized headlines all across the city of Chicago.
But even though their lawyer claims all you need is razzle dazzle — that “long as you keep them way off balance, how can they spot you’ve got no talents?” — Chicago’s success isn’t built on artifice; the musical showcases genuine talent in spades. Stars like Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, and Ann Reinking helped the show take off in its early days, and numerous stage and screen stars have since shown off their talents in the lead characters’ shoes.
Chicago was met with mixed reviews upon its 1975 premiere, but in the nearly 50 years since, the musical, its songs, and its choreography have all become an iconic part of Broadway history. The current production celebrated 25 years on Broadway in 2021 and has set and broken numerous records in that time. Read on to learn all about the history, casts, and fun facts of Chicago, and all the basic information you need to know before heading to the Ambassador Theatre to see the show on Broadway.
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What is Chicago about?
Chicago centers on Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who dreams of being a vaudeville star. She’s cheating on her sweet but dim-witted husband named Amos — and when her lover tries to end their affair, she kills him in a fit of rage. Getting thrown in the Cook County Jail seems like a surefire end to Roxie’s dreams of stardom, but her sentence ends up being her ticket to fame.
Her lawyer, the smooth-talking Billy Flynn, helps her concoct a defense that earns the press’s sympathy and gets her face on the cover of every newspaper in Chicago. And while in jail, Roxie meets Velma Kelly, an established vaudeville star who murdered her husband and sister.
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