Chicago the Musical Appreciation Thread — Page 87

jonartdesigns said: "Thanks Everythingtaboo.

On Bianca’s insta story (or maybe TikTok) she said she’s only playing Velma through the end of November. Considering that Annie Live airs on December 2nd, might this mean a holiday run of Jane Krakowski as VELMA?"

That would truly be wonderful - but who would fill in between their respectful runs? I meant to ask Miss Krakowski when I briefly saw her last week, but didn’t want to be too annoying.

blaxx said: "Any reviews for the current cast not based on internet clips?"

Phan24 had a lot to say on the 9/14 reopening nights thread.

I was at the Viva Broadway concert (after attending Waitress - wonderful) and Bianca opened the show and then came back to do a one-woman version of Nowadays, mixed in with some Spanish lyrics. She really is wonderful.

I saw some interview with her, I can't remember if it was NY1 or a local station in NYC, and it said she was only in it through November.

I had a great time seeing NYC and Broadway once more. I saw "Chicago" on Friday, Sept. 17 and both shows on Sun. Sept. 19th. The Friday show was amazing. When Jessica Ernest (Go To Hell Kitty) appears on the stage, the crowd goes wild. She has to wait a bit to start: "Ladies and Gentlemen, you are about to see a story about....The crowd reacted with a particular response to each of the things GTHK says.

Bianca Marroquin: She was amazing as Velma Kelly. The crowd was loving her performance. Of course, she added her touches here and there. After having performed alongside many Velma Kellys over the years, she must have learned quite a bit about that character.

Ana Villafane: She's energetic and talented of course. Ana was embraced by the crowd. In due time, she'll refine her character,as she's done the show less than a week.

Paolo Szot: He is very talented and lends an air of suaveness to his role as Billy Flynn. He has a wonderful voice.

Ryan Lowe: What can I say about this talented cast member? I've known him as a fan over the years. He knows the role inside and out. I have an anecdote about him. After the first show ended around, it seemed to be close to 5 p.m. I walked back to my hotel near 8th Ave. and 51st (the Washington Jefferson). I got ready for the 2nd show and had to eat a quick dinner. On my way back, I passed by this quaint restaurant "Dolly Varden". I suddenly heard someone call my name "Roman". It was Ryan Lowe having dinner with some out of town friends. What a small world. We spoke briefly and I was on my way.

Jeff Gorti was a crowd pleaser. He is the guy who wears an open vest and shows a very formidable body.

Matron Mama Morton: Lillias White was in fine form. She had the audience in the palm of her hand. Another anecdote. I was doing my best impression of Eve Harrington, waiting in line for the first show on Sunday. Then, she appeared. She was pissed off that some fool had thrown white paint at one of outside backgrounds, where people can take a selfie. It was fine when I saw it on Friday evening.

Amos Hart : Ray Bokhour: He it a tour the force. The audience was clearly on his side. He received thunderous applause in every performance, especially at the end.

Christine Cornish Smith played the role of Hunyak to good effect. In the interlude (I don't know what it's called.) before All That Jazz, everyone has their little bit to do. CCS merely walks from one side to another and really doesn't have anything to do at that point. I remember this was done in the show in the 90's. Her just walking in front of anything, seemingly a dispassioned observer doesn't seem to work. She should have something to do besides that.

Oh, something very odd happened while I was waiting in line. One of the Covid 19 ladies was talking to David Hyslop (the production stage manager). I was close enough to overhear him talking about a fan of the show who began the "Chicago The Musical Appreciation Thread" on Broadway World. I don't think he knew that I was hearing every word he was saying, which was nice. So now I know that the people behind the scenes do take notice of this particular message thread.

The other show that I saw was "Wicked" on Saturday evening. I felt a bit blase about the show, having seen it the first time in 2006, with a pre-Smash Megan Hilty and then 4 years later with Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero. It was a beautiful experience. I even cried when Fiyero (Scarecrow) reconnects with Elphaba (after everyone thinks she is dead). How....e...ver, there was one ignorant sow woman who kept taking picture after picture after picture...mostly during act 1. I was in rear mezzahine J. She was in H so I could clearly see her. When the show began, the ushers stayed outside of the theatre...which is not a good thing as it gives dumbass people the chance to take video or take pictures. When Intermission began, I told one of the users, who ultimately told one of the higher ups. At some point, security got involved. I do hope she got caught red handed,

I did a lot of walking and used taxis. The MTA decided to close certain stations that I normally used to get to Chelsea, downtown and other points. I was ticked off, as many others were too. Next time I return, I want to watch Six, Moulin Rouge and Phantom.

Braved the rain to make my return visit to Chicago. I missed the show but it’s back in fine form.

Definitely noticed some changes in choreography, namely in the group numbers, many of them very much welcome. Roxie’s first entrance is now from stage right. While some character roles changed around – most notably Denny Pascall, where I missed his very flattering longtime costume – it seemed they still kept some of their previous choreography tracks.

Meanwhile, the new cast members were all around great additions. (And the gentle in the second row certainly enjoyed Jeff Gorti’s butt wiggle at the top of Act 2, inspiring him to mimic slapping it himself.)

Rob Bowman at the baton was already working when they brought him back pre-pandemic - Leslie Stifelman was running that show way too quick for a while there - and under Rob and newly freshened up, the orchestra has come back at a smooth pace that really makes you hear all the lyrics and appreciate the individual instruments a lot.

I’m sure Jerry Mitchell, who was a few rows behind me, appreciated the amazing job Ana Villafañe did as Roxie. She’s good with the choreography, but where she was head and shoulders above previous Roxies is with her acting and singing. Not afraid to make darker choices, physically and emotionally agile, with a strong voice that genuinely interprets the song through the character, it’s refreshing to have a real musical theatre performer in that role. She is also hilarious, when she’s playing off Paulo and Bianca. (Her “that’s it?” reaction to Paulo not holding the note that long in We Both Reached For The Gun was hysterical and a sign of someone really in the moment.)

Bianca Marroquin is really just a legend, how she moved into the more physically intensive Velma role so seamlessly is so remarkable. She just knows the character inside and out, and watching her play with her delivery, her facial expressions, was just so much fun. We know she can do it all, but the fact that she makes it seem so effortless and fresh, after almost two decades on and off with the show, is just so astonishing.

Lillias White, ravishing in a strikingly sexy new Mama Morton costume - we're talking asymmetrical glittering blazer, opening up to quite the bustier, dazzled as we had no doubt she would. Paulo Szot just comes in and owns it, even with a heavy accent, you never doubt he’s of that period, and lands the jokes better than many others. Ray Bokhour and R. Lowe were so great to see return, great as always.

I think while there weren’t “names” in the cast, what I loved about the show is how firm and settled the show feels when it’s filled with true musical theatre actors in the lead roles. You really feel the energy and tension between them, and of course they know how to play off each other, so it just elevates the material. I’m sure we’ll get the stunt casting shortly, but for a while, it feels like heaven, nowadays.

Updated On: 9/24/21 at 01:54 PM

fanatic3 said: "I have a question for the boards. She's not currently in the show but used to be. Who is the white/blond short haired Roxie? What is her name?"

The only short blonde Roxie I can think of in recent years is Veronica Dunne.

I said Roxie but I meant Velma. I'm sorry. She had/has very short cropped white/blonde hair and I see her in some promos from the past. Just curious who she is because I believe she was at the same restaurant I was in on reopening night.

Thanks.

Amra-Faye Wright

Why do you think that? She's been with the show on and off since 2006. No hate, just wondering why you dislike her.

everythingtaboo said: "AFR was certainly not my favorite Velma, but saying she's the "worst" is pretty damn strong."



I've since Chicago on Bway about a dozen times. Saw AFW I believe 3 times and all three times she was horrendous. Marking, off-key, she looked bored in 2010 and yet she kept coming back up until 2019.

My favorite Velmas are Terra C McLeod and Lana Gordon. I have had the opportunity to see AFW 'quite a few times" over the years. She is not everyone's favorite Velma, obviously. But she is one talented lady. To say she is the "worst Velma" is not something I would agree with.

Updated On: 11/2/21 at 09:45 AM