question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

#1

question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:53am

Does anyone know which Roxie has stayed with the Broadway revival the longest? I'm talking about a continuous run with the show. There have been so many over the years - and some of them have played the role, left for a while and returned.

Also wondered - how many actresses played Roxie longer than Gwen Verdon did in the original production? I know that Liza Minelli and Ann Reinking had gone on as Roxie in the original production - but they weren't really replacements, were they? They filled in while Gwen was out, right? In my mind, you'd count Gwen as having played Roxie for over 2 years. But maybe I'm wrong about that.

#2

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:54am

I believe Charlotte d'Amboise has played the role the longest in the revival.

#3

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:57am

I'm guessing Charlotte along with Bianca and Michelle.

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#4

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:57am

Gwen got sick. Liza went in for six weeks. Gwen came back. I think she left in late 1976 and Ann played her till the end. So no one in the original played the part longer than Gwen. If I'm not mistaken, Chita and Jerry stayed the whole run, right?

#5

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 3:49am

d'Amboise is the right answer, followed by Marroquin.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#6

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 3:59am

Actually, reading your post more carefully...if you use the word "continuously", then the right answer (because even if she missed quite a few performances she was still technically in the role)is, I believe, Anne Reinking. Charlotte d'Amboise has probably given more performances than her, but not continuously.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#7

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:38am

Ann only played Roxie for 9 months in the revival (11/06 - 6/07) and 7 in the original (2/77 - 8/77). Charlotte has her beat jazz hands down.

#8

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:06am

Chita didn't do the whole original run; Lenora Nemetz closed the show as Velma. Orbach stayed for the whole run, I think.

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"I cried during the Frug." - MC

#9

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 12:46pm

Yea I wudve guessed its Charlotte! Im wondering... how about the London production? Is it Josefina Gabrielle who's played the role for longest?? or is it Ruffelle?

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All That Jazz Check out & support my drawings @ www.facebook.com/felixdrawings

#10

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 7:56pm

Ann only played Roxie for 9 months in the revival (11/06 - 6/07) and 7 in the original (2/77 - 8/77). Charlotte has her beat jazz hands down.

I may be wrong, but almost sure that Charlotte d'Amboise has not played the part longer than 9 months...continuously. If you add all her performances, maybe, but he was clearly asking about a continuous run , and Charlotte has come and gone through the revival. Almost 100% sure she has not been in it continuously longer than Reinking.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#11

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 7:59pm

Didnt Charlotte d'Amboise do a year continuously when she launched the tour?

#12

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:00pm

My grandmother always tells the story of the night she went to see the original production of Chicago, Liza's first performance.

The crowd was electric. Gwen Verdon had taken ill and a young Liza Minelli was secretly flown in to play the part. The front rows were filled with Hollywood people. Liza never missed a beat.

#13

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 8:27pm

Charlotte did the tour for 2 years until she went into Broadway after Ann, Merilu and Karen... once Bebe left Charlotte was allowed to join the Broadway Company.

Updated On: 1/21/08 at 08:27 PM

#14

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/21/08 at 9:13pm

Yankee,
Did your grandmother know Liza was going on? It was a pretty well kept secret if I'm not mistaken. I don't think anyone outside of the show knew.

#15

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 12:30am

Wasn't Anne also missing a significant number of performances due to injuries during her revival run? Should that factor into the equation?

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"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

#16

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:18am

Still, I don't think anyone has been billed as Roxie continuously longer than Reinking. Charlotte obviously has performed the role many more times, but not continuously.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#17

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:19am

Didn't I read somewhere that the absences cost Reinking a Tony nod?

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#18

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:23am

Oh well, she won for the choreography. Besides, she looked so small sharing the stage with Bebe Neuwirth.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#19

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 1:32am

I do love me some Reinking. It's such a shame to see all these brilliant dancers like Donna McKechnie, Ann Reinking, and Bebe Neuwirth having to stop gracing us with their legendary talents due to the unforgiving factor of age.

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#20

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 4:56am

"Oh well, she won for the choreography. Besides, she looked so small sharing the stage with Bebe Neuwirth"

Bebe Neuwirth dancing next to Ann Reinking reminded me of when I saw "Xanadu" and Olivia Newton John had the nerve to dance with Gene Kelly. Bebe is good, but Ann is superior!!!

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Acting should be bigger than life. Scripts should be bigger than life. It should all be bigger than life.- Bette Davis

#21

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 6:27am

YES! Annie is just superior!

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All That Jazz Check out & support my drawings @ www.facebook.com/felixdrawings

#22

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 7:02am

JV - No, she didn't.

#23

re: question for the CHICAGO fanatics...

Posted: 1/22/08 at 7:20am

Thanks for sharing the annie love, ruthiefan!!!!

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Acting should be bigger than life. Scripts should be bigger than life. It should all be bigger than life.- Bette Davis