Chicago

      Chicago is set in the early 1920s.  It is based on a play of the same name that was based on a couple of real cases from the time.  Kander, Ebb, and Fosse wrote it in the early 1970s.  Music was Kander, lyrics were Ebb, book was Ebb and Fosse, and choreography was Fosse.  All of the musical numbers were done in a vaudeville style and stood out from the rest of the show.  The main theme of the play is a commentary of the justice system at the time.  It was very much about scandal and not very just, at least in the world of female criminals.  It is set during prohibition, but there is clearly alcohol in the play, as well as jazz and other “scandalous” things of the time.  There were a few women around this time who murdered men and inspired the characters of Roxie and Velma.  In fact, the woman who wrote the original play was the reporter who covered these women’s stories.  Since the original 1975 staging, there have been several revivals and a movie.  The most successful revival was the one in 1996.  It did very well at the Tonys whereas the original production did not.  The original production was up against A Chorus Line, but the revival had competition as well, such as Annie and Once Upon a Mattress.  The movie came out in 2002 and stared Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere.  It also did very well, winning the Academy award for best picture that year, as well as several others. 

       John Kander and Fred Ebb were a songwriting team with many successful ventures in both stage and film.  They started working together in the mid-60s, writing things such as Flora, the Red Menace and Cabaret.  Chicago came later on in 1975.  Of their many works, Cabaret and Chicago are probably the best known.  They are also responsible for such works as Kiss of the Spider Woman; New York, New York; Curtains; and The Scottsboro Boys, with the last two being at the end of their carrier.  Ebb passed away in 2004, but Kander is still alive, though old. 

     Bob Fosse (Robert Louis Fosse by birth) was an actor, dancer, director, choreographer, and more.  He is most celebrated for his choreography, having won eight Tony awards for it.  His style was recognizably different than others at the time.  He choreographed shows such as The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, as well as Chicago.  In the case of Chicago, he also helped write the book, something that he only did one other time, for Pippen, though his work there is unaccredited.  He died in 1987 of a heart attack.  He was known to have both heart problems and epilepsy. 

1.)  In “The Cell Block Tango,” the girls all detail what they did to get sent to prison.  Do you think they are justified in what they did?  Do they deserve to get off?  Feel free to discuss as a group or as individuals.

2.)  In “The Cell Block Tango,” Hunyak states that she is innocent, but it is clear, that because of her language barrier, she is unlikely to get off.  This is confirmed later on when she is convicted and hung, all while still proclaiming “not guilty.”  What are your thoughts on this?  Do you believe her?  What does this say about the justice system and lawyers of the time?

3.)  All throughout the play, Velma and Roxie, and Kitty later on, fight for the press spotlight.  What do you think of their tricks?  Do you think this is still the way things work today?

4.)  What do you think of Amos?  He is a very weak-willed person, as he himself admits in “Mister Cellophane.”  Do you have sympathy for him?  Does he deserve your sympathy?

5.)  What are your opinions on the circus/vaudeville styles of the musical numbers?  It is different from typical musicals in that it clearly isn’t meant to be “realistic.”  They are meant to stand out, but why do you think that is?

6.)  Compare Chicago to other musicals of this time period, including other Kander and Ebb works.  Keep in mind that A Chorus Line premiered in the same year.

7.)  This is set in the early 1920s, during prohibition.  Do you feel the musical accurately reflects the time period?  Keep in mind that it was based on a play about actual murderesses of the time. 

8.)  The original production was nominated for many Tony awards but didn’t win any.  The 1996 revival, on the other hand, swept the Tonys.  Why do you think this is?  Is it just a matter of competition, or is it a reflection of the staging, or is it a reflection of the times. 

9.)  Frank’s death occurs during the song “All That Jazz,” which is sung by Velma.  Why do you think they decided to stage it this way rather than give it its own song?

10.)  The original show opened in 1975.  How do you see reflections of that time period in the musical?