how long will Brenda Braxton be with "CHICAGO"?

[aces25]

Posted: 1/28/04 at 9:40pm

Just wondering...I want to see her.

[CJR]

Posted: 1/28/04 at 10:26pm

Brenda is in the company till March 21

[Victoria Grant]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 10:26pm

I saw Brenda in Smokey Joes Cafe, she was great! Is she playing Velma?

I always wondered is she any relation to Toni Braxton?

[CJR]

Posted: 1/29/04 at 11:53pm

No relation to Toni Braxton....

She's playing Velma in the Broadway company right now -- fresh of the National Tour. She's amazing!

[CANINO]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 1:56am

She sure was great in Smokey Joe's...... a very fine actress.........

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 2:35am

I'm seeing Chicago this Sunday (matinee) for the first time. I'm very excited. I'd be more excited to see Norm Lewis but it will be cool to see Gretchen and James.

[CJR]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 2:34pm

Wait -- if you're seeing the show on Sunday (as in the day after tomorrow) you'll be seeing James as Billy, not Norm. Norm doesn't start till Monday.

In any event, have a great time :) :)

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 3:25pm

Reread what I wrote.. I said I was seeing James but really wanted to see Norm..... but the tickets landed in my lap for Sunday so I'm not refusing :) They are front row too! :)

[Maggie]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 4:18pm

Oh you'll enjoy Brenda....I got to see her when the tour came to Wallingford in November....WOW! She's great...what a voice. The bonus was that I got to see Bianca Marroquin with Brenda.

[CJR]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 4:57pm

The way it read (at least to me) was that you were excited to see ALL of them -- meaning you thought they were all going to be in on Sunday. I'll be alright lmao

They're front row? I hate you hahaha jk -- I love the front row. *sniff sniff* I miss the front row. That was what *really* made Chicago an experience for me.

Maggie -- glad to hear you enjoyed Bibi. I was supposed to go up to Wallingford to see the tour, but alas it didn't happen. I *did* wind up going to see the show/harras Bibi when she was on Broadway with Patrick and Reva. Had a fabulous time. Damn she's talented haha.

~Heather

[Maggie]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 7:37pm

Oh I really did enjoy her...the only other Roxie I had seen was Belle Callaway and Bibi (guess that's what her friends call her!)just shocked me at how funny she was....besides having a fabulous voice. She really knows how to get a crowd going!

[CJR]

Posted: 1/30/04 at 8:01pm

Hahhaha lmao -- force of habit; I *always* call her Bibi... most of her other friends do too

But yeah, she does know how to get the crowd going. There are a few bits she did the first time she was on Broadway which she hasn't done on tour. I've been begging her to start doing them again. When she's dragged off the stage when first arressted, she'd pray in Spanish... or she'd add little exclaimations in Spanish throughout the show (a few in Roxie). Also, at the end of Roxie when Fred Casely would walk over her she'd say "watch your step..."

And her voice.... DAMN. lol the set of pipes on that girl!!!!

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 7:05pm

I saw Chicago for the first time today and got to see 6 understudies go on....that was a lot of little white paper squares in my Playbill. Some that stood out was A Saunders was in for Mary Sunshine and Roxane Carrasco was in for Brenda doing Velma Kelly.

Gretchen and Roxane were fine in the roles. James Naughton, Tony or not, bored me as did PJ Benjamin;s Amos. As far as the rest of the ensemble, the only way I can sum it up is this: "Hello, this is the last show of the week, I'd like to phone in my performance please." They were sloppy, not in sync, and several were bumping into one another.

Gregory Butler's body is just insane..wow so hot.... and Shawn Emamjomeh is just damn sexy. Michael Kubala and John Mineo look so out of place with such a young, very in shape, cast.

I thought everyone was playing it safe and probably were vocally tired from the week. I was sitting on the second row and felt zero energy and the pacing seemed terribly slow.

Also, not sure if it was because of the Super Bowl or not, cant imagine it would be since the SuperBowl wasn't until 6...the balcony was almost completely empty. The orchestra was full.

[Benzy92]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 8:05pm

Brenda Braxton was the best Velma I saw.. simply amazing! i bet CJR is VERY jealous you got to see Roxane!

[CJR]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 11:42pm

Not jealous -- I've seen her as Velma more times than I can count.... Brenda's been sick -- Rox has been on as Velma all week.

Brenda thought she was well enough to go on Thursday night, but after All That Jazz knew she couldn't continue so Rox went on in her place at CBT. She performed straight through until I Can't Do It Alone, as Velma in her Annie costume!

Glad you got to see Rox as Velma... she kicks ass Then again, I'm quite partial *cough* www.roxanecarrasco.com *cough* hahaha

(*nudge* see icon -- Rox as Anita in WSS)

Updated On: 2/1/04 at 11:42 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 12:00am

I love her so!
She was so fabulous in SJC
Am I mistaken but didn't she choreograph the new Dreamgirls Tour?

[Kev]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 9:32am

Yes she did, and she's been associated with the show for awhile. She's also a favorite Velma of mine.

[NBC]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 10:40am

Actually it wasn't their last show of the week, they had a 7 pm show yesterday evening. I bet the theater was even emptier by then...

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 12:15pm

Oh yeah.. every time Michelle Robinson was on stage I laughed cause she looks like a man in drag.... plus I hated her delivery of the "..not chew..POP" speech during Cell Block Tango.

[NBC]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 12:49pm

Really? Her delivery of that monologue is usually a highlight for me...

[CJR]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 2:17pm

*gasp* You thought Michelle looked like a man in drag??

I'm not even gonna comment....

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 4:24pm

Whos playing Roxie & Billy?

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 5:01pm

Gretchen Moll was Roxie and James Naughton was Billy. I believe Norm Lewis starts tomorrow as Billy...he will ROCK

[CJR]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 5:12pm

Norm Lewis begins tonight....

Tonight is also the 3,000 performance of the revival of Chicago. The cast will be celebrating with a pre-performance party.