"Chicago" Tour, 04/29/06, Ft Lauderdale

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 12:52am

OUT: Michelle DeJean (Roxie Hart)
IN: Nicole Bridgewater

[Michelle must either be sick or have the week off, because everyone I know that saw the show this week got her u/s.]

Nicole Bridgewater (Roxie Hart:) Nicole was absolutely phenomenal in every single way. One of the most amazing stage performances I have seen. At intermission, all you heard was the audience talking about how shocked they were that this girl was an understudy and how incredible she was. I walked away from the movie and the OBCR loving Velma and not really caring about Roxie, but it was the COMPLETE opposite tonight. Nicole made Roxie loveable, endearing, funny, seductive... just a phenomenal performance. I can't imagine Michelle DeJean being any better.

Terra C. MacLeod (Velma Kelly:) Terra was a perfect fit for the role of Velma. She had that schmoozy cabaret thing going for her, and it just suited the part perfectly. In Act 1, I didn't really warm up to her until "I Can't Do It Alone," primarily because a) Nicole was stealing the show and b) Some of Terra's diction (prounouncing words like Jazz JAAAAHZ) kind of got to me, but by the time Act 2 roled around, I loved her. Like I said, she was just a natural, and I can see why she has been used in several productions.

Greg Evigan: Yet another actor in the show who was perfectly cast. I liked him better than both Richard Gere and James Naughton from the revival OBC. He reminded me ALOT of Jerry Orbach from the original cast... ALOT. He had a great singing voice, great characterization... a job very well done.

Kevin Carolan (Amos Hart:) Kevin had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.... they just loved him from the moment he came on stage. "Mr Cellophane" was terrific, and you just really felt for his character.. you couldn't help but root for him.

Carol Woods (Matron "Mama" Morton:) The second shining star of the evening after Nicole. She was hysterical, and her singing was AMAZING. The audience went wild before she even finished "When You're Good To Mama" as she was holding the second to last big note (she slid it up an octave and riffed it.. it was incredible.) I just loved her.

R. Bean (Mary Sunshine:) R. was hysterical, and did a good job... the only problem I had was that when he sang, it was really really hard to hear what he was saying (in comparison to D. Sabella from the revival OBC, who was crystal clear.) Also, when *SPOILERS----- he took off the drag and was revealed to be a man, the audience went nuts, but he said his whole speech in the midst of the applause and screams instead of waiting, so that whole thing was lost. ----- SPOILERS* All in all, a comendable job though.

I would also like to say that the ensemble in this show is to be comended vastly, because they are just first rate.

I would HIGHLY reccomend this tour to anyone who is on the fence about seeing it. It provides an incredible night of theater from an incredible group of performers.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 12:55am

Why didn't you put your review in this thread https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=894769#2115611 instead of starting a whole new thread about it?

Updated On: 4/30/06 at 12:55 AM

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 11:54am

Why? Free country ain't it?
If "somethingwicked" wanted his/her own thread, that's allowed.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 4/30/06 at 11:58am

Because it is his OWN review.