CHICAGO

Kiernan Rushford of East Longmeadow as Roxie Hart and Andrew Gilbert of Springfield as Amos in the Theater Guild of Hampden's production of CHICAGO.

Sassy, irreverent, teeming with amorality and corruption, what isn’t there to love about Chicago/A Musical Vaudeville? As presented by the Theater Guild of Hampden, it is playing to sold-out houses throughout its run.

Director Mark Giza has proven the naysayers wrong; when he was told it would be impossible to stage Chicago at the Hampden Country Club (its dining room is very wide and very shallow), his reaction was, “Oh yeah? Wait and see!” Nor is the play easy to cast: counting the ensemble, there are 28, plus five musicians -- Tom Slowick, Jon Hagopian, Paul Coffill, Dave Russell, and Dane Scozzari.. Its remarkable track record of five-seasons’ history boasts Barefoot in the Park; The Full Monty; Brighton Beach Memoirs; The Producers; plus its youth productions of Guys and Dolls Jr; Grease Jr; The Music Man Jr; Damn Yankees Jr; and Annie Jr. Coming next season, Gypsy, and for the youth, Cinderella.

The opening number, All That Jazz, features publicity frantic Velma (Aileen Merino Terzi’s dancing skill is a plus) and other jailed inmates who have committed murder and includes the full company in a skilled routine that suggests Bob Fosse’s signature dance moves – the quick head snap, the shoulder roll, the splayed fingers – expertly adapted by choreographer Kathleen Delaney. In their black skimpy costumes (credited to Frederick’s of Hollywood) that reflect the undergarments worn during the late 1920s, there’s no mistaking these women of varying ages, even the young ones, have been around the block.

After Roxie (Kiernan Rushford, a fast study in opportunism) shoots her lover and further plays her hapless husband Amos (Andrew Gilbert, appropriately pathetic) for a sap, the sleaze factor shifts into overdrive with the thriving bribery generated by Mama (a no-nonsense Tracey Hebert), the jail matron who sings “when you’re strokin’ Mama, Mama’s strokin’ you”). She rewards her favorites by introducing them to Billy Flynn, an attorney, who has never met an outrageous angle he couldn’t parlay into an acquittal, thanks to juries adulterated by an unscrupulous press. No one personifies roarding twenties Chicago's particular fourth estate more than Mary Sunshine (R.D.) a noted sob sister who almost brings down the house with the falsetto singing of A Little Bit of Good. Billy Flynn’s entrance (Jonathan Trecker) is over the top: a covey of chorines sporting large peacock eye fans wave him onto the stage. Billy and Roxie shine in their puppet-like duet, We Both Reached for the Gun. Publicity hounds Roxy and Velma’s street smarts wise them up: when they sing My Own Best Friend, they recognize how alone they are.

And it’s only Intermission.

The second act picks up momentum. As Amos, Andrew Gilbert owns the stage when he sings Mister Cellophane with all the aplomb and nuances of a William H. Macy. “Everyone gets noticed, now and then, unless, of course, that personage should be invisible, inconsequential me!” Just before Roxy’s trial begins, Billy struts his stuff: “Give 'em the old razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle 'em! Back since the days of old Methuselah, everyone loves the big bambooz-a-ler.” Velma and Mama voice ironic wonders in Class: “Whatever happened to fair dealing? And pure ethics? And nice manners? Why is it everyone now is a pain in the ass? Whatever happened to class?”

Here’s a partial answer: the Theater Guild of Hampden is a class act, a community theater with high ideals that attracts hard-working actors and crew who love theater, the process of creating, the joy of performing, of entertaining – on their own time while continuing to honor their day jobs.

Those who are missing out on seeing Chicago, here’s fair warning: next year, reserve your tickets early for Gypsy – real early.

Chicago is based upon facts. Fascinating background info at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_%28musical%29

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CHICAGO

Reviewed by B. K. Grant

When I first heard the Theatre Guild of Hampden was doing “Chicago” at the Hampden Country Club, I thought, ‘How in the world are they going to accomplish that!’ Having seen the play three times, I was familiar with the large cast and the choreography that moved from stage left to stage right and back again. Combining the talents of Director Mark Giza with those of Producer/Stage Manager Jan Plumb proved to be the magic that made it happen. Swaying to Tom Slowick's playing of composer John Kander's 1920's style melodies, the cast slinked easily through the cabaret-like setting, effectively utilizing the foyer, the dance floor, several risers leading to narrow staging and, for one of Roxy’s numbers, the bar’s top surface. All six evening performances are sold out.

Minutes into the opening scene, the soon-to-be-victim Fred Casely (played by Rick Kapinos on opening night) widens our eyes by attempting to drop his pants as he chases after a cheating Roxy Hart (Kiernan Rushford). In subsequent performances Fred’s role is filled by five other actors, three of them Hampden Selectmen. Roxy meets Velma (Aileen Merino Terzi) in lockup; Velma’s street-smart attitude cannot tolerate Roxy’s self-centered naiveté; the two spirited women clash from the first meeting. Scantily clad in black lace and fringe (from Frederick’s of Hollywood), ‘Cell Block Tango’ entertains with the Girls' woeful tales behind their imprisonment, all while insisting on their innocence: “...You’ve been screwing the milkman – and then he ran into my knife!” Amos Hart, Roxy’s loving husband, is a dull, wimpy man, who initially takes the blame for his wife’s crime. Andrew Gilbert is perfect as Amos and surprises us in the second act as he gains strength. When delivering “I love ya, honey, I love ya”, he brings down the house. Roxy’s lawyer, Billy Flynn (Jonathan Trecker) is just smooth enough, just slick enough to be a credible Champion of the Downtrodden; in the end, all he cares about is love (and his fee of fifty large). He proceeds to “Razzle Dazzle” the court and the press; Roxy is acquitted, but only after overtures from domineering Mama, portrayed with excellence by Tracey Hebert, and rejection from Amos and her ‘fans’. R. D. is uproariously funny in the role of goodie-two-shoes Mary Sunshine, bringing a ‘little bit of good’ wherever she (?) goes. Roxy’s and Velma’s irritation toward each other mellows and, drawing on their singing and dancing talents, form a duo that brings them fame and fortune, albeit mediocre.

Unlike any production of Chicago that I have seen, this performance by the Theater Guild of Hampden surpasses all expectations. First night jitters can account for the off key instances and a missed line. That aside, the cast and crew deserve resounding accolades for a challenging performance extremely well done.

The Theater Guild of Hampden has plans for a production of “Gypsy” in March of 2011. I recommend jumping on the first opportunity available, as those tickets will also disappear rapidly.

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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017750/synopsis 

a synopsis of the 1927 silent movie unauthorized vrsn.