difference between original and revival of Chicago?

[chaos_dragon]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 11:38am

is there a difference? My school is going it this year (I got Amos) but I'm not sure which version. Last year we did the original off-broadway (i think) Anything Goes, which was drastically different than the revival, so I was wondering if the same goes for Chicago...

and just because I want to know...what is the scope of Amos' dialogue/lines? I havent gotten a hold of the script yet

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 11:50am

I don't think there is much of a difference in the text. The revival was just staged more bare bones than the original, but I don't think there is much of difference in the text. All the songs are the same.

If there is a difference, it is slight. Nothing drastic like the 2 versions of Anything Goes.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 11:55am

A total of about ten minutes of dialogue was cut for the revival.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 11:56am

But they don't license the revival text do they?

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 12:10pm

Correct.

Only the original is available. There is very few "book" changes, the revival cut down the book a bit. And the score ofcourse, is the same.

But I heard Sam French is freezing the rights for the show, I heard the rights are not available for now.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 12:13pm

Ljay, you may know the answer to this:

On the OBC, "Me and My Baby" is much different than on the revival discs. Did they just record a shorter, slower version for the OBC, or was the number jazzed up for the revival.

I've always wondered that. I've always wanted to hear Gwen sing it at the faster tempo.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 12:20pm

Yes. I own the Sam French version of the original script. I'm a bit confused, the the ballad might have just been recorded for the OBCR.

This is from the script. Right after Velma imitates Roxie on the "my dear little baby, my sweet little baby" part. The script says this.

Roxie (sung) LOOK AT MY BABY AND ME
(ROXIE rises from her wheelchair, takes off her examination garment. She is wearing a typically 'Eddie Cantor' outfit. Pants too shirt, white socks, bow time. The number is sung a la Eddie. Roxie peforms the number with two male dancers.)

So I'm assuming the ballad was just for the cd? Which is a little odd.
Updated On: 10/21/05 at 12:20 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 12:30pm

It is odd. It must have been because of time issues on the lp or somethng lame like that. Same reason Follies is butchered on the OBC.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 12:39pm

Yes, the original is the only licensed version. I'm sure this will be the version you perform.

For Amos, specifically, the revival simply altered a few words, streamlining the dialogue a bit. The number remained intact. Nothing to fret about.

Lastly, you have a great part and a truly amazing number. Have a blast.

Updated On: 10/21/05 at 12:39 PM

[chaos_dragon]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 2:53pm

haha, thanks, i love it when people tell me I got a good part.

And yes, I did figure out its the original. I guess our school was one of the only places allowed to get the rights because its still on tour, or we were the last ones to get them before they froze? I dont quite remember.

And im happy to know that almost everything is the same. Now I can listen to either recording and still be ok (I MUCH prefer Joel Greys version of Cellophane).

and just on a side note, how do you feel about high schools doing Chicago? And keep in mind, we arent cutting anything out.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:02pm

Well, I'm pretty against High Schools doing Chicago, Cabaret, etc.

But I wish you luck, you'll have fun.

Oh, and if you follow the staging in the script, it's COMPLETELY different from the revival staging.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:14pm

The vaudeville staging conceits from the original production (ie: "Funny Honey" as a Helen Morgan torch song, "All I Care About" as a Sally Rand strip number with a sex change, "Mr. Cellophane" with celluloid collar, a la Bert Williams' "Nobody") are all dropped in the revival. I think the musical numbers begin to blur together in the revival, since the staging concepts have been eliminated. Still, by stripping everything away, the revival achieves a certain hard edged glamour that works for it. I do miss the tailor scene that followed "All I Care About" (which was the crafty reason behind Billy's striptease).

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 10/21/05 at 3:17pm

Bobbybubby, you are correct......In the original production of CHICAGO, Me and My Baby was a full fledged "production number" led by the divine Gwen Verdon. On the OCR they only included Ms. Verdon's singing at the very beginning of the number. It is not reflective of what took place in the original show.