CHICAGO - Here we go again-- Page 2

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:26am

That tired hussy. I can't believe her. She is going to get it from me.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:47am

Yes, Charlotte is back in the company....

As for Bebe coming back -- it won't happen. Take my word on that... it was established 2 years ago after her last return to the company.

Yes, I did post some thoughts in the Marti Pellow thread... sorry it's taken me so long to post here; I was on the phone! As for the state of the cast... I was actually quite disappointed in what I saw Friday night. There were two reasons/people which made me glad I saw the show: Roz Ryan as Mama and Roxane Carrasco as Velma.

Favorites of mine are long gone from the company: Eric Jordan Young, Michael Kubala, David Warren Gibson, Denis Jones, John Mineo -- alright, so he was ancient, but he was a staple in that show... at least to me. Paige had her good moments, but I found her to be very over the top. There was lots of yelling on her part, she was VERY bubbly and she made a certain actress' "Lithium Roxie" look like "Prozac Roxie." It seemed to me that she was trying to bring a lot of her Trading Spaces persona into the character of Roxie, and it just wasn't working. Don't go on what I say about her though, I'm the shows own worst critic.

Marti, as I stated in his thread, did not stand out to me at all. I found it difficult to understand him at times due to his accent (not to mention the way he seemed to be trying really hard to americanize it) and there were many flubbed lines because of it. I know the show word for word and I was having issues -- I can't imagine what it was like for the people in the house who'd never seen the show before. He too, was slightly over the top at times. His singing voice was fine, but nothing to write home about. He's got a weak belt and sometimes he sang SO softly that the ensemble mightily overpowered him. I do have to give him credit though -- he held the note at the end of Gun longer than any Billy I have seen in quite some time. I applaud him for that.

The ensemble is in okay shape, but I have definitely seen them at a much better level. They all seem to be SO over it and ready to get onto other things.... someone PLEASE come offer them something. It was nice to see Dan LoBuono back in the cast -- that was a pleasant and welcomed surprise for me. However, even he seems to be over it.

Speaking of being over it, PJ Benjamin.... That man has been Chicago-ed out for a LONG time. Little Shop closes August 22; Bring Rob Bartlett back as Amos. "Weisslers can you hear me???"

For me, Chicago lost a lot when it moved from the Shubert to the Ambassador. Seeing the show was an event in itself, and it involved rushing tickets, the friends I got to see WHEN I rushed the tickets, and then the cast interaction with us since we were in the front row. Since that was lost in the move, I haven't enjoyed the show nearly as much in a long time.

Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to be there, but as I said earlier in my post it was only because of Roxane and Roz.

Roz as Mama is perfection. She's a talent unlike any other and I'm NEVER disappointed with her performance. Not to mention what a complete and utter sweetheart she is.

Of course it goes without saying that I adored seeing Rox as Velma again. She is another who never disappoints. In fact, I'm always impressed and awed by her performance -- and that's all biased aside. She always puts 210% into the show and it's her passion and love for her work which reminds me why I'm in show business to begin with.

I need to see some amazing people back in the cast. I need to see Michele Pawk as Mama, Roxane as Velma, Rob Bartlett as Amos, Brent Barrett, Taye Diggs or Eric Jordan Young as Billy.... I want to see people who are passionate and alive and are happy to be onstage, not just merely phoning in their performances. I have to admit when Rox and Roz weren't onstage, I was almost 'phoning it in' from the audience.

Updated On: 8/10/04 at 01:47 AM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:53am

Ooooh Brent Barrett....I loved him.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:54am

Brent is a pretty, pretty man

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:55am

CJR.
What a excellent recount of your experience. I hope your posts finds its way to powers that be. It sounds like the creative staff should go in there and do a little shakedown. Remember how they revitalized Les Miz for its last few years?

Updated On: 8/10/04 at 01:55 AM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:57am

The Les Mis reworking for the 10th anniversary actually did it a lot of good. I remember when I first heard they were making everyone reaudition I was surprised but it really made the whole thing fantastic again...*goes off into I love Les Mis land*

[CJR]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:59am

Let it be known to all that it wasn't a blatant attack on the cast.... I just call it like I see it. They are all amazing people and I adore so many of them. They're SO talented and SO underused. For instance, what do I have to do to see Michelle Robinson as Velma and Michelle DeJean as Roxie?! And lets add Roxane as Mama... and Shawn Emamjomeh as Billy.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:00am

I agree. They did a very good job at capturing the energy back. I hope they do something. You know; I think Chicago could actually be a show that could become broadways longest running show ever. It just needs very careful producers taking care of their cash cow.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:03am

CJR,
It wasn't taken as a attack on the cast. You are being very honest. I just think a show can sometimes benefit from complete new energy. From the cast to company manager. I don't know.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:13am

CJR:
Can't you be more specific as to why Bebe wont be returning?

[CJR]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:16am

I cant really elaborate on the Bebe thing.

As for my comments, I just wanted to elaborate since I know so many people, and I don't really know who's reading this.. I didn't want anyone to think I was turning around and trash talking them.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 2:21am

Sometimes casts just look like they're dead. For example when I saw the tour of Les Mis in...early June I think it was, I thought they were the most dragging cast I'd ever seen. I saw it 30 times on Broadway before I saw the tour and I was highly disappointed in it. Then, I saw it in London in July and it blew me away. It's totally okay to say a cast is lacking, it happens.

[BroadwayMonkey]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:19am

Oooh. isn't what's-her-name playing Roxie now? From Trading Spaces?

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:21am

Let's hope never. He's terrible.

[BroadwayMonkey]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:24am

Heeheehee.....who, Trading Spaces person?

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 3:33am

Since I'm not a regular here, I am curious as to what makes you the Chicago Expert. Who are you that you have all this inside information that can't be shared. Is it just because your to obsessed with the show?

[janem]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:53am

I do have to give him credit though -- he held the note at the end of Gun longer than any Billy I have seen in quite some time. I applaud him for that.

Marti holds the record for this at (I think) 27 seconds..

[chasing_rainbows43]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:49am

Hey man, who's to say some of the cast members aren't *trying* to do something else, or getting courted for other projects?

There's been a joke for a few years now about Chicago being "semi-retirement". It's a steady paycheck (lord knows that show isn't going anywhere for a while), the ensemble members are all reasonably featured (more than other ensembles at the very least), it's really not a bad gig for them. If someone wants to leave the show for something else there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Think about it. If you've got the option of staying with a sure bet that will keep running and will bring you pay raises at a regular interval, or the option of taking a pilot or starting up in a new show, are you going to choose the sure money or the chance? I'd take the money, lord knows it's hard enough to find in this business.

[crp2000]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 8:48am

Dame -

Couple questions. I've only seen "Chicago" - the movie - how does it compare (if at all) the the bway show? Is Brenda Braxton still in the show - and is/was she any good? Does Chicago have student rush or discount tickets?
Oh - and I MISS U!!!!

[janem]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:29am

I don`t think the movie is a patch on the show,
I haven`t seen it on Broadway, I saw it in the UK,

The movie just doesn`t have the same `WOW` factor for me, it`s good but not as good.. (imo)
I also think the movie doesn`t have the same impact where a few of the songs are concerned, they weren`t sung with as much style and enthusiasm, they were less effective,
for example, the cell block tango,
on stage it`s very effective, the point gets across and you feel what they are saying about their dead partners, in the movie, it`s like they say it like they aren`t interested in telling you, it`s a lot less effective, to me anyway,
hope that made sense LOL
ok I`m gonna shut up again now LOL

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:53am

I saw the revival in previews and it was one of the classiest shows I have ever seen. The cast was simply perfect. I later saw the tour with Alan Thicke, but the entire cast and production was forgettable. Unless there is another truly great cast, I don't want to spoil my memory of the show seeing it ruined again. I just did that with Rent and it was so sad.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 12:22pm

The "Trading Spaces person" is Paige Davis and she finished her run on Sunday. Charlotte d'Amboise is now playing Roxie (again) -- tonight is her opening night.

ChiChi it has nothing to do with "being obsessed with any show". Trust me when I say, I'm FAR from being obsessed with that show and if (at this point) I never see it again it'll be far too soon. As for the "insider information," you can always search me on the board and do your homework

Sarah, I know it's a cushy gig for them and it pays the bills. You *know* that I know that lol That was one of the reasons why I wanted to make it clear that I wasn't trashing anyone (god knows they'd all know where to find me if I did lol). Having not seen the show since December and then seeing it now, I have to say (pardon the pun) it's lost it's razzle dazzle. There's no more lustre, and it's just there. I seem to recall you having the same complaint about the cast "phoning it in" not too long ago. We've all had that complaint at some point.

Janem -- yes, Marti *did* hold the note somewhere in that vicinity.... good lord. lol

[janem]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 12:54pm

clever wee so and so ain`t he LOL

[NBC]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:23pm

I know some of the cast members do other projects during the day (thank goodness!), but I have to admit the Weisslers are pretty good about letting people in and out of the Chicago cast to work on other things...witness Denis Jones, Bernard Dotson and Marc Calamia, to name a few, all of whom have cycled out now and then to do something else. As for the women, Michelle Robinson, Krissy Richmond and Roxane Carrasco have also left for a spell to do other things and then returned. (Um, I look forward to more of the cast branching out, provided that they do it somewhere that doesn't require a bus and two train rides!! Actually, anywhere remotely near public transportation would be fine.)

I know Chicago is a good, steady gig, but I'm not sure I agree that there are plenty of opportunities for all of the cast elsewhere, unfortunately. At least not currently on Broadway, and that's a shame.

[DAME]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 1:37pm

But the show should be mantained well for the good of the show. Not the good of the cast. I am telling you; it needs a complete physical overhaul.

Updated On: 8/10/04 at 01:37 PM