Theatre Memphis will open Broadway's longest running American musical, Chicago, on the Lohrey Stage opening tonight, March 9, 2012, to run through April 1, 2012. Rob Hanford and Lindsey Roberts talk to Darel Snodgrass about this challenging production.
Modeled after real life stories, the plot of Chicago is set in the roaring twenties. Chorine Roxie Hart (Alexis Grace) murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband to take the rap...until he finds out he's been duped. She and another "Merry Murderess," Velma Kelly (Lindsey Roberts), manipulate their lawyer and the system as they vie for the spotlight and the headlines.
They ultimately join forces in search of fame, fortune and acquittal. With the book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, the original production opened on Broadway in 1975 and the current production debuted in 1996 and won seven Tony Awards including best revival of a musical, best direction and best choreography. The music by John Kander and Lyrics by Ebb have played to over 6000 Broadway audiences since the revival opened.
This production is directed by Amy Hanford, with musical direction from Gary Beard and choreography by Pam Hurley.
The cast includes:
ROXIE HART: Alexis Grace
AMOS HART: Randall Hartzog
"MAMA" MORTON: Cecelia Wingate
VELMA KELLY: Lindsey Roberts
BILLY FLYNN: Robert Hanford
MARY SUNSHINE: Wesley Barnes
FRED CASELY: Jared Johnson
MASTER OF CEREMONIES: John Koski
JUDGE: Parker Dinwiddie
HUNYAK: Allison Stearnes
LIZ: Rebecca Brown
ANNIE: Liz Sharp
JUNE: Emma Crystal
MONA: Noelia Warnett
Go-to-Hell Kitty: Lynden Lewis
MARTIN HARRISON: Joe Lackie
SERGEANT FOGARTY: Joe Lackie
AARON: Marc Gill
BAILIFF: Gary Cook
ENSEMBLE:
Jared Johnson
Christine Joe
Justin Nelson
Cassidy Porter
Marc Gill
Chris Hawk
Chris Hanford
Gary Cook
Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for students with a valid ID. Call 901.682.8323 to purchase tickets or go online to www.theatrememphis.org.
A video from "Good Morning Memphis" on Fox 13 is available by clicking here.
