Chicago

Musical

Writers: Fred Ebb Bob Fosse John Kander

Overview

Show Information

Music
Lyrics
Category
Musical
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1975
Genres
Dark Comedy
Settings
Spectacle
Time & Place
chicago, late 1920
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Heavy
Ideal for
College/University, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female
Casting Notes
Mostly female cast
Includes young adult, adult characters

Synopsis

Broadway’s longest-running American musical, Chicago is a dazzling and satirical look at fame, justice, and the media machine. Set in 1920s Chicago and based on real-life murders and trials, Chicago follows Roxie Hart, a wannabe vaudevillian star who murders her lover and is arrested, despite her attempts to convince her pushover husband, Amos, to lie for her. In the Cook County Jail, Roxie meets her hero, the famed double-murderess and nightclub performer Velma Kelly. When both acquire the same lawyer, the greedy and lustful superstar, Billy Flynn, tensions come to a head as they vie for the spotlight-- though instead of onstage, they’re mugging for the flashbulb of the newspaper reporters. With catchy, sexy music and timeless lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, and a funny, intelligent, and utterly engaging book by Kander and Bob Fosse, Chicago is a musical spectacular that is as addictive as gossip rags and as unforgettable as any trial of the century.

Lead Characters

Chicago guide sections