Within the spring of 1975, Chicago premiered on Broadway. Directed and choreographed by the legendary Bob Fosse, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, it razzle-dazzled audiences in a counterintuitive means: by emphasizing refined fashion over flashy manufacturing parts. The musical returned to Broadway in 1996, after Ann Reinking re-created Fosse’s choreography for a short-run Encores! manufacturing at New York Metropolis Middle. The revival, on the Ambassador Theatre, is now the longest-running present presently on Broadway, and second in historical past to solely The Phantom of the Opera.
Based mostly on a play written about two girls accused of homicide within the Twenties and the way they turned celebrities, Chicago fashions every of its numbers after a standard vaudeville routine or performer. The present’s minimalistic set and costumes permit the main focus to remain on the motion, the music, and the story.
Over the a long time, Chicago’s lasting footprint on Broadway has helped make Fosse’s fashion of dance immediately recognizable. With its sly head tilts, particular hand gestures, turned-in ft, and pinpoint isolations, the choreography emits a horny coolness that’s ceaselessly emulated, each on Broadway and nicely past.
These photographs seize the performers who’ve introduced Chicago to life over time—from original-cast leads Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera to the quite a few celebrities who’ve bowed within the present. 4 dancers from Chicago firms previous and current additionally share their ideas on the essence of Chicago, their gratitude for Fosse, and why the manufacturing nonetheless has such sticking energy 5 a long time later.
Chicago has been a vital a part of my dance profession—from opening the Broadway revival, to doing the film, to doing the Broadway present Fosse and the tv present ‘Fosse/Verdon.’ It has stored me working and supporting my household and myself. It has given work to many dancers all over the world. I solely want that Bob Fosse knew what an enormous hit Chicago was, and the way the world has embraced his work and celebrates his genius in that present. He was all the time forward of his time.” — Mary Ann Lamb, who performed June and understudied Roxie Hart within the opening forged of the 1996 revival, and ultimately took over the function of Roxie
Chicago retains Bob Fosse’s legacy alive. [Its longevity means] an entire new technology will get to understand and love his work. The essence and the true element and intent of Chicago will all the time be pure Bob Fosse.” — Valarie Pettiford, who performed Velma Kelly in Chicago on the West Finish from August 1999–February 2000
It’s an absolute honor, privilege, present, and true accountability to be part of carrying on the persevering with legacy of this present. Chicago is timeless; it continues to be related. Each night time, performing up on that stage, we’re revering Fosse, Annie, Chita, Gwen, and all these legends who got here earlier than us who created these roles and this story.” — Kristen Religion Oei, who’s presently taking part in Hunyak and understudying Velma Kelly on Broadway, the primary Asian American to play the main function
I really feel prefer it’s a cliché to say that Chicago is iconic, however the motive it’s is due to its simplicity. When performing on this present, there’s a easy, refined, figuring out confidence that’s essential to have in your eyes, and within the ideas behind your eyes, and in the way in which that you simply carry your self. The primary time I noticed the faucet dance quantity that the fellows do within the present, I knew that was undeniably Fosse. The bowler hats and the cigarettes, and the attractive means that quantity is lit—that was it for me.” — John Michael Fiumara, a present forged member who made his debut within the firm in December 2024
