Chicago, the musical
 

Last night, we saw the movie "Chicago" on DVD and after the movie we saw some footage which gave the history of the movie, based on news stories written by a female reporter who eventually wrote a stage comedy, which became a movie called "Roxie Hart" starring Ginger Rogers, followed by Gwen Verdon asking her husband, Bob Fosse to turn the movie into a musical - voila "Chicago". Since the musical has been running so long in revival (it originally was not very successful as it came out during Watergate), this brought us to wondering which well known actors have played the roles of Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly and Billy Flynn on Broadway, in London, and in roadshows in other cities when it originally came out and in revival. I've done a search online, including www.playbill.com, but have been unable to come up with a complete list of actors.

So far, this is who we have come up with:

Gwen Verdon, Ann Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth, Jasmine Guy, Marilu Henner, Melanie Griffith, and James Naughton.

If anyone can add to this list, I'd certainly appreciate the information.

I'm not sure about the actors and actresses..but I saw it in London (June 03) and I was wondering what people thought of it? I wasn't that impressed, I wonder if seeing the movie ruined it for me. There were hardly any costume changes (1 if that), and hardly any set changes either. I just kept comparing it to the movie. Is this how the show is in the US as well?

Yes, Tammi, that's how it is in NYC, as well. We saw the Broadway show, and THEN the movie. We were actually impressed with how the movie depicted the Broadway version so well.

I have to admit, I had been forewarned about the lack of costume and set changes, so knew what to expect. That might have made a difference in my enjoyment of it.

The director, cast, etc. are interviewed on DVD after the movie is over. I recall that the movie is written from Roxie Hart's point of view, and that certain scenes are dream sequences. The director said it would be impossible to recreate the film like the movie, as the characters would be jumping into song instead of telling a story.

So, to answer your question, Tammi, the stage versions from city to city are the same, and the movie is completely different.

By the way, I just looked up the film history of the movie "Roxie Hart" and in the movie, Roxie Hart's husband, Amos, actually commits the murder. However, Roxie Hart confesses to the murder in order to become famous. The lawyer, Billy Flynn, tells Roxie Hart that the jury will find her not guilty, because a woman at that time had never been convicted of murdering a man.

Don't forget Chita Rivera was in the original. Also, Gwen Verdon was sick during the original run and Liza Minnelli took her place.

Ute Lemper, Ruthie Henshall have played the murderesses. Joel Grey played the husband.

Gothampc, thanks for the info. I forgot about Chita Rivera. She's got the smallest role in the movie too. If you blink during the first scene in the prison, you'll miss her.

Saw "Chicago" in Vegas-- Hal Linden played Billy Flynn (and was great). The Roxie to Bebe Neuwirth's Velma was Charlotte D'Amboise (daughter of the famous dancer Jacques D'Amboise), wasn't it?

Jerry Orbach was the original Billy Flynn.
Leslie, there's one bit of misinformation in your otherwise good report: You said the original Chicago "was not very successful." While not as successful as the current revival, it did have most profitable 898-performance run. It unfortunately opened the same year as A Chorus Line and thus lost out in the Tony race.
Ann Reinking was the original Roxie, opposite Bebe Neuwirth. Charlotte d'Amboise was a replacement as Roxie. Bebe Neuwirth might have still been int the show when she joined the cast.

PS: A bit of trivia: Roxie's husband was originally played by Barney Martin, who was Seinfeld's father on the TV show!

My personal thoughts on the movie version vs. the Broadway version (which I've seen a number of times):

I feared that this would be another of those wonderful very theatrical stage musicals which worked because they were theatrical, but then ruined by the film making them so "real" or literal. (Think Evita, for example).
So I was absolutely amazed at how the film version was able to become even more theatrical than the stage version. The idea of double filming every musical number -- one a "literal" staging and the other an "imaginary" or theatrical staging was nothing short of brilliant.

I suspect seeing the movie will now "ruin" the stage version for many people, like Tammi suggests. How many people really enjoy sitting through the stage version of The Sound of Music after seeing the much more lively and "better-put-together" film version?

Patrick, I too have seen the musical on stage several times (including the original). And, to me, as good as the movie was (and it was good), nothing can match live theater!

Wow, Howard, that sounds like a statement I'd make. And while I admit that I still enjoy live theatre more, I must confess that I think Chicago was one outstanding film -- and yes, even better than the stage version.

Saw Chicago the movie first and, although was lost for the first 1/2 hour or so, like it very very much.

Then, recently, went to see Chicago on stage in SF. Really liked the stage version, too, and found the production in SF to be different enough to be just as enjoyable as the screen version.

The SF stage play had a unique SF twist added. Loved that bit! Sorry, can't tell you about it, will ruin it for other play goers! :)

For your list:
We saw Alan Thicke as Billy Flynn in the national touring company two or three years ago. It was a great show and he did a really good job.

I saw the Broadway stage version a few years back with Sandy Duncan as Roxie Hart.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play and the movie.
The movie definitely had the
"ole razzle dazzle"!

In the movie, the musical number "Class" with Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta Jones was deleted because the story is supposed to be from Roxie's point of view and there is no way Roxie would have known what those two were doing back at the Prison whilst she was in the courtroom. I think everyone was suprised at how well the cast pulled this off. Who knew that Catherine and Renee could sing and dance?


Keith

I actually haven't seen the movie yet; I'm waiting for it to arrive from Netflix. The one thing I am concerned about is the choreography. I am a musical theater junkie and am a devotee of Bob Fosse. I adored the stage version. Am I correct in assuming the choreography in the movie is not the original Fosse work? Coz if that is the case, I already am disappointed.

I have not seen the movie version yet but George Harrison (the tan guy) played Billy Flynn when I saw it 2 years ago.

The tan guy is George Hamilton; George Harrison was a Beatle.

The movie does not have the Fosse choreography. I don't think Catherine and Renee would have been able to do it.

sorry I always get them mixed up