The CHICAGO Thread

[actionjaxson91]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 1:12am

Ok, so I know that there are mixed feelings about this show. However, I love it, despite the constant recycling of casts and celebrity casting.

My intention of making this post is to provide a place for fellow fans of Chicago to post their favorite casts, favorite performers in certain roles, thoughts about certain casts, thoughts about the show, least favorite casts, least favorite performers in certain roles, etc.

Also, feel free to post any criticism you have towards Chicago. This thread is open to all opinions and not just one sided ones.

So, I guess I'll start:

My favorite performers in their respective roles:

Roxie: Ruthie Henshall
Velma: Ute Lemper (or Ruthie Henshall)
Billy: Brent Barrett
Mama: Meg Johnson
Amos: John C. Reilly

Also, if someone could post a list with the complete cast replacement history, that would be magnificent!

Ta ta for now!

[Kempster]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 6:17am

I saw the play twice, once with Melanie Griffith who I thought was terrible and than a second time with Rita Wilson. Rita was better than Melanie but not by much. Love the music, the dancing is great, but after seeing it with these two flops, no more for me

Still looking for a Rita Wilson Chicago playbill willing to pay $20 for it, email me at [e-mail] if you have one. Also will to pay $20 for Mother with Holland Taylor and Buck Henry

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 10:01am

ROXIE HART
Ann Reinking (11/96 - 4/97)
Nancy Hess (4/97)
Ann Reinking (4/97 - 7/97)
Marilu Henner (7/97 - 3/9
Karen Ziemba (3/98 - 5/9
Belle Calaway (5/98 - 6/99)
Karen Ziemba (6/99)
Belle Calaway (6/99)
Charlotte D’Amboise (6/99 - 8/99)
Sandy Duncan (8/99 - 1/00)
Belle Calaway (1/00 - 3/00)
Charlotte d’Amboise (3/00 - 1/01)
Belle Calaway (1/01 - 2/01)
Tracy Shayne (2/01 - 3/01)
Belle Calaway (3/01 - 5/01)
Nana Visitor (5/01 - 10/01)
Petra Nielsen (10/01 - 11/01)
Nana Visitor (11/01 - 1/02)
Belle Calaway (1/02 - 3/02)
Denise Van Outen (3/02 - 4/02)
Belle Calaway (4/02 - 6/02)
Bianca Marroquin (6/02 - 7/02)
Belle Calaway (7/02 - 8/02)
Amy Spanger (8/02 - 9/02)
Belle Calaway (9/02)
Charlotte d’Amboise (9/02 - 1/03)
Belle Calaway (1/03 - 4/03)
Tracy Shayne (4/03 - 7/03)
Melanie Griffith (7/03 - 10/03)
Charlotte d’Amboise (10/03 - 12/03)
Bianca Marroquin (12/03)
Charlotte d’Amboise (12/03 - 1/04)
Gretchen Mol (1/04 - 3/04)
Charlotte d’Amboise (3/04 - 6/04)
Tracy Shayne (6/04)
Paige Davis (6/04 - 8/04)
Charlotte d’Amboise (8/04 - 12/04)
Tracy Shayne (12/04)
Charlotte d’Amboise (12/04 - 1/05)
Tracy Shayne (1/05)
Charlotte d’Amboise (1/05 - 2/05)
Belle Calaway (2/05)
Charlotte d’Amboise (2/05 - 3/05)
Michele DeJean (3/05 - 4/05)
Charlotte d’Amboise (4/05 - 9/05)
Brooke Shields (9/05 - 10/05)
Charlotte d’Amboise (11/05 - 1/06)
Robin Givens (1/06 - 2/06)
Michelle DeJean (2/06-3/06)
Robin Givens (3/06 - 4/06)
Tracy Shayne (4/06)
Charlotte d’Amboise (4/06 -6/06)
Rita Wilson (6/06-8/06)
Michelle DeJean (8/06)
Bianca Marroquin (8/06-10/06)
Michelle DeJean (10/06-12/06)
Bebe Neuwirth (12/06 - )
Bianca Marroquin (4/07 - 6/07)
Lisa Rinna (6/07 - 8/07)
Michelle DeJean (8/07 - 9/07)
Tracy Shayne (9/07)
Michelle DeJean (9/07-1/0
Bianca Marroqiun (1/08-6/0
Michelle DeJean (6/08-9/0
Bianca Marroquin (9/08-10/0
Michelle DeJean (10/08-11/0
Charlotte d’Amboise (11/08-12/0
Bianca Marroquin (12/0
Melora Hardin (12/08-2/09)
Charlotte d’Amboise (2/09)
Bryn Dowling (2/09-3/09)
Charlotte d’Amboise (3/09)
Bryn Dowling (3/09-4/09)
Charlotte d’Amboise (4/09-6/09)
Bryn Dowling (6/09)
Bonnie Langford (6/09-7/09)
Samantha Harris (7/09-8/09)
Bianca Marroquin (8/09-9/09)
Bonnie Langford (9/09-11/09)
Ashlee Simpson-Wentz (11/09-2/10)
Michelle Williams (2/10-4/10)
Bianca Marroquin (4/10)
Ruthie Henshall (4/10-)

VELMA KELLY
Bebe Neuwirth (11/96 - 5/97)
Nancy Hess (5/97)
Bebe Neuwirth (5/97 - 7/97)
Nancy Hess (7/97 - 9/97)
Bebe Neuwirth (9/97 - 9/9
Ute Lemper (9/98 - 2/99)
Bebe Neuwirth (2/99 - 4/99)
Ute Lemper (4/99 - 5/99)
Ruthie Henshall (5/99 - 10/99)
Mamie Duncan-Gibbs (10/99 - 1/00)
Bebe Neuwirth (1/00 - 3/00)
Mamie Duncan-Gibbs (3/00 - 4/00)
Donna Marie Asbury (4/00)
Sharon Lawrence (4/00 - 7/00)
Donna Marie Asbury (7/00 - 8/00 )
Vicki Lewis (8/00 - 9/00)
Jasmine Guy (9/00 - 1/01)
Bebe Neuwirth (1/01 - 3/01)
Donna Marie Asbury (3/01)
Deidre Goodwin (3/01 - 5/01)
Vicki Lewis (5/01 - 6/01)
Donna Marie Asbury (6/01 - 7/01)
Roxane Carrasco (7/01)
Anna Montonaro (7/01 - 9/01)
Donna Marie Asbury (9/01 - 10/01)
Deidre Goodwin (10/01 - 11/01)
Donna Marie Asbury (11/01 - 1/02)
Roxane Carrasco (1/02 - 3/02)
Deidre Goodwin (3/02 - 4/02)
Roxane Carrasco (4/02 - )
Deidre Goodwin (5/02 - 6/02)
Stephanie Pope (6/02 - 9/02)
Donna Marie Asbury (9/02 - 10/02)
Deidre Goodwin (10/02 - 11/02)
Caroline O’Connor (11/02 - 3/03)
Brenda Braxton (3/03 - 6/03)
Roxane Carrasco (6/03)
Donna Marie Asbury (6/03)
Deidre Goodwin (6/03 - 10/03)
Reva Rice (10/03 - 12/03)
Roxane Carraso (12/03 - 1/04)
Donna Marie Asbury (1/04)
Brenda Braxton (1/04 - 4/04)
Pia Douwes (4/04 - 6/04)
Brenda Braxton (6/04 - 8/04)
Terra C. MacLeod (8/04 - 1/05)
Donna Marie Asbury (1/05)
Terra C. MacLeod (1/05 - 2/05)
Donna Marie Asbury (2/05)
Brenda Braxton (2/05 - 6/05)
Donna Marie Asbury (6/05)
Luba Mason (7/05 - 12/05)
Brenda Braxton (12/05 - 1/06)
Amra-Faye Wright (1/06 - 4/06)
Donna Marie Asbury (4/06)
Brenda Braxton (4/06 - 11/06)
Amra-Faye Wright (11/06 - 12/06)
Brenda Braxton (12/06 -2/0
Terra C. MacLeod (2/08-3/0
Brenda Braxton (3/08-5/0
Nicole Bridgewater (5/0
Nancy Lemanager (5/08-8/0
Brenda Braxton (8/08-10/0
Terra C. MacLeod (10/08-11/0
Brenda Braxton (11/08-2/09)
Amra-Faye Wright (2/09-8/09)
Terra C. MacLeod (8/09-9/09)
Deidre Goodwin (9/09-2/10)
Terra C. MacLeod (2/10-4/10)
Amra-Faye Wright (4/10-)

BILLY FLYNN
James Naughton (11/96 - 7/97)
Gregory Jbara (7/97 - 9/97)
James Naughton (9/97 - 1/9
Hinton Battle (1/98 - 8/9
Michael Berresse (8/98 - 10/9
Alan Thicke (10/98 - 11/9
Brent Barrett (11/98 - 1/00)
Michael Kubala (1/00)
Robert Ulrich (1/00 - 2/00)
Brent Barrett (2/00 - 5/00)
Clarke Peters (5/00 - 6/00)
Brent Barrett (6/00 - 8/00)
Clarke Peters (8/00 - 9/00)
Brent Barrett (9/00)
Clarke Peters (9/00 - 4/01)
Chuck Cooper (4/01 - 6/01)
Alan Thicke (6/01 - 7/01)
Brent Barrett (7/01 - 9/01)
Chuck Cooper (9/01 - 11/01)
George Hamilton (11/01 - 1/02)
Eric Jordan Young (1/02 - 2/02)
Lou Gossett, Jnr. (2/02)
Eric Jordan Young (2/02 - 3/02)
Ron Raines (3/02 - 5/02)
Eric Jordan Young (5/02 - 6/02)
George Hamilton (6/02 - 7/02)
Michael C. Hall (7/02 - 9/02)
Eric Jordan Young (9/02)
Destan Owens (9/02)
Taye Diggs (10/02 - 11/02)
Billy Zane (11/02 - 1/03)
Kevin Richardson (1/03 - 3/03)
Marti Pellow (3/03)
Clarke Peters (3/03 - 5/03)
Gregory Harrison (5/03 - 6/03)
Brent Barrett (6/03 - 12/03)
Patrick Swayze (12/03)
Clarke Peters (12/03 - 1/04)
Bernard Dotson (1/04)
James Naughton (1/04 - 2/04)
Norm Lewis (2/04 - 4/04)
Christopher Sieber (4/04 - 5/04)
Tom Wopat (5/04 - 6/04)
Christopher Sieber (6/04 - 8/04)
Marti Pellow (8/04 - 9/04)
Wayne Brady (9/04 - 12/04)
Tom Wopat (12/04 - 1/05)
Brent Barrett (1/05 - 3/05)
Bernard Dotson (3/05)
Brent Barrett (3/05 - 4/05)
Bernard Dotson (4/05)
Brent Barrett (4/05 - 5/05)
Bernard Dotson (5/05)
Brent Barrett (5/05 - 6/05)
Bernard Dotson (6/05 - 7/05)
Christopher McDonald (7/05 - 9/05)
Clarke Peters (9/05 - 11/05)
Huey Lewis (11/05 - 1/06)
John O’Hurley (1/06 - 4/06)
Obba Babatunde (4/06 - 8/06)
Usher (8/06-10/06)
Christopher McDonald (10/06-11/06)
Huey Lewis (11/06 - 1/07)
Philip Casnoff (1/07 - 4/07)
Bernard Dotson (4/07 - 5/07)
Joey Lawrence (5/07 - 6/07)
Harry Hamlin (6/07 - 8/07)
Tom Wopat (8/07 - 8/07)
George Hamilton (8/07 - 10/07)
Brian McKnight (10/07-11/07)
Maxwell Caufield (11/07-12/07)
Jeff McCarthy (12/07-1/0
John Schneider (1/08-3/0
Jeff McCarthy (3/08-7/0
Obba Babatunde (7/0
Tom Wopat (7/08-10/0
Jeff McCarthy (10/0
Tom Wopat (10/08-11/0
Tom Hewitt (11/08-2/09)
Tom Wopat (2/09-3/09)
Tom Hewitt (3/09)
Tom Wopat (3/09-4/09)
Tom Hewitt (4/09-7/09)
Brent Barrett (7/09-8/09)
Jason Patrick Sands (8/09)
Jerry Springer (8/09-9/09)
Tom Hewitt (9/09-10/09)
Brent Barrett (10/09-1/10)
Obba Babatunde (1/10)
Brent Barrett (1/10-3/10)
Tom Hewitt (3/10-4/10)
Matthew Settle (4/10-6/10)

AMOS HART
Joel Grey (11/96 - 9/97)
Ernie Sabella (9/97 - 11/97)
Joel Grey (11/97 - 1/9
Ernie Sabella (1/98 - 8/9
Tom McGowan (8/98 - 12/9
P.J. Benjamin (12/98 - 12/99 )
Ernie Sabella (12/99 - 6/00)
P.J. Benjamin (6/00 - 8/01)
Ray Bokhour (8/01)
P.J. Benjamin (8/01 - 7/02)
Rob Bartlett (7/02 - 10/02)
P.J. Benjamin (10/02 - 11/02)
Rob Bartlett (11/02 - 3/03)
P.J. Benjamin (3/03 - 7/03)
Rob Bartlett (7/03 - 8/03)
P.J. Benjamin (8/03 - 1/04)
John Mineo (1/04)
P.J. Benjamin (1/04 - 7/04)
Ray Bokhour (7/04 - 8/04)
P.J. Benjamin (8/04 - 1/05)
Ray Bokhour (1/05 - 6/05)
P.J. Benjamin (6/05 - 1/06)
Bruce Winant (1/06 - 2/06)
Ray Bokhour (2/06 - 6/06)
Kevin Chamberlin (6/06-7/06)
Rob Bartlett (8/06 - 1/07)
Ray Bokhour (1/07-3/07)
Rob Bartlett (3/07 - 8/07)
Ray Bokhour (8/07 -9/07)
Rob Bartlett (9/07-11/07)
Vincent Pastore (11/07-1/0
Rob Bartlett (1/0
Ron Orbach (1/08-4/0
Ray Bokhour (4/08-7/0
Kevin Chamberlin (7/08-9/0
Ray Bokhour (9/08-12/0
Scott Davidson (12/08-3/09)
Ray Bokhour (3/09-6/09)
Tom Riis Farrell (6/09-8/09)
Ray Bokhour (8/09-2/10)
Tom Riis Farrell (2/10)
Ray Bokhour (2/10-6/10)
Tom Riis Farrell (6/10-)

MATRON “MAMA” MORTON
Marcia Lewis (11/96 - 1/99)
Roz Ryan (1/99 - 9/99)
Marcia Lewis (9/99 - 6/01)
Jennifer Holliday (6/01 - 9/01)
Marcia Lewis Bryan (9/01 - 11/01)
Roz Ryan (11/01 - 1/02)
Michele Pawk (1/02 - 3/02)
Alix Korey (3/02 - 8/02)
Roz Ryan (8/02 - 3/03)
B.J. Crosby (3/03 - 4/03)
Angie Stone (4/03 -6/03)
Camille Saviola (6/03 - 12/03)
Debbie Gravitte (12/03 - 3/04)
Roz Ryan (3/04 - 9/04)
Anne L. Nathan (9/04 - 2/05)
Carol Woods (2/05)
Anne L. Nathan (2/05 - 4/05)
Belle Calaway (4/05)
Anne L. Nathan (4/05)
Mary Testa (4/05 - 7/05)
Carol Woods (7/05 - 9/05)
Debra Monk (9/05 - 1/06)
Lillias White (1/06 - 2/06)
Debra Monk (2/06 - 3/06)
Lillias White (3/06 - 9/06)
Roz Ryan (9/06- 8/07)
Adriane Lenox (8/07 - 11/07)
Aida Turturro (11/07-1/0
Roz Ryan (1/08-3/0
Kecia Lewis-Evans (3/08-7/0
Carol Woods (7/08-11/0
LaVon Fisher-Wilson (11/08-1/09)
Carol Woods (1/09-3/09)
LaVon Fisher-Wilson (3/09-4/09)
Sofia Vergara (4/09-6/09)
Chandra Wilson (6/09-7/09)
Roz Ryan (7/09-9/09)
Kecia Lewis-Evans (9/09-11/09)
Roz Ryan (12/09-4/10)
Terri White (4/10-)

MARY SUNSHINE
David Sabella (11/96 - 1/97)
Jeff Loeffelholz (1/97 - 3/97)
David Sabella (3/97 - 2/99)
Roy Bean (2/99 - 4/00)
Alonso Saunders (4/00 - 5/00)
James Maldonado (5/00)
Alonso Saunders (5/00 - 6/00)
James Maldonado (6/00 - 7/00)
Roy Bean (7/00 - 4/01)
Jeff Loeffelholz (4/01)
Roy Bean (4/01 - 8/02)
Jeff Loeffelholz (8/02 - 9/02)
Roy Bean (9/02 - 12/02)
Michael Agnes (12/02 - 4/03)
David Sabella (4/03 - 6/03)
Jeff Loeffelholz (6/03)
David Sabella (6/03 - 10/03)
Jeff Loeffeholz (10/03 - 11/03)
David Sabella (11/03 - 6/04)
Roy Bean (6/04 - 7/04)
David Sabella Mills (7/04 - 10/04)
Ryan Lowe (10/04 - 9/05)
David Sabella Mills (9/05)
Ryan Lowe (9/05 - 3/06)
David Sabella Mills (3/06)
Ryan Lowe (4/06 - 9/07)
David Sabella Mills (9/07)
Ryan Lowe (9/07 - 4/0
Daniel Miccichi (4/08-7/0
Ryan Lowe (7/08-3/09)
Daniel Miccichi (3/09)
Ryan Lowe (3/09-4/10)
D. Vogel (4/10-6/10)
Ryan Lowe (6/10-9/10)

[actionjaxson91]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 1:39pm

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I also love how you pointed out your favorites!

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 1:44pm

when i copied and pasted it in, it made the smiley faces. My faves are:

Roxie: Ruthie Henshall, Amy Spanger, Sandy Duncan
Velma: Ruthie Henshall, Donna Marie Asbury, Vicki Lewis
Billy: Brent Barrett
Amos: Joel Grey, PJ Benjamin
Mama: Roz Ryan, Michele Pawk, Jennifer Holiday
Mary: D. Sabella, R. Lowe

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 2:50pm

How was Debra Monk as Mama?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/13/10 at 3:28pm

I've seen the show five times and my favorites were:

Velma: Deidre Goodwin. runner-up: Donna Marie Asbury
Roxie: Charlotte d'Amboise. runner-up: Bianca Marroquin
Billy: Tom Hewitt.
Amos: Ray Bokhour. runner-up: Kevin Chamerlin
Mama: Roz Ryan. runner-up: Kecia Lewis-Evans