WHOOPEE: The Surprising Journey of Broadway’s "Chicago"
Student scholar’s essay traces the “scandalous” history of the Jazz Age musical
Shalom, Broadway lovers!
In today’s FREE Premium edition of MARQUEE: The Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast: a historical appraisal of the journey of the musical Chicago; a survey to help improve The Broadway Maven; a Piano Talk about motifs in Les Misérables, a review of the current Broadway version of The Great Gatsby; a video about the best show tunes by songmaster Mel Brooks; a Broadway Blast about The King and I; and a Last Blast about Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
STUDENT ESSAY: The musical Chicago has seen a dramatic transformation over time, from its rocky 1975 debut to the enormous legacy it has in the world of Broadway today. The first production of the show closed in only two years amidst a lukewarm reception, but Chicago was given a new life thanks to a 1996 Broadway revival and a 2002 movie adaptation, both of which resonated with audiences and critics alike. With a history that can be traced all the way back to the 1920s, Chicago stands today as a testament to the appeal of dark and satirical stories.
In 1924, journalist Maurine Dallas Watkins was hired by the Chicago Tribune, with the task of covering crime in the city from a “feminine perspective”. Throughout the decade, Chicago was intrigued by the rising phenomenon of the “murderess”. Women were killing their husbands at an increasing rate; people were eager to read all about it, and Watkins was eager to document it.
Watkins was tasked with covering the murder trials of Belva Gaertner and Beulah Annan. Believing both ladies to be guilty, Watkins laced her writing with cynicism and sarcasm. However, they were soon acquitted. Drawing from her experiences, Watkins wrote the play Chicago in 1926, satirizing the social climate she had both witnessed and indulged in. In her later years, she regretted creating such a spectacle out of the city’s obsession with crime.
In 1975, a musical adaptation of the play premiered on Broadway, with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and choreography and direction by Bob Fosse. At a low point in his life, Bob Fosse’s vision for Chicago was very pessimistic, similar to that of Watkins when she wrote the original play. Additionally, the arrival of a new dance musical by Michael Bennett, A Chorus Line, may have caused Fosse to work hastily so that his show would premiere sooner. As a result, Chicago struggled to find an audience, perhaps reflecting an era that had steered away from stories of corruption and crime. In a review, Walter Kerr accused the team of trying to recreate their previous work, Cabaret.
Opening in the same Broadway season, A Chorus Line received immediate success and critical acclaim, running for a record-breaking 15 years, compared to Chicago’s mixed reception and closure after 2 years. In the 1990s, though, the trials of OJ Simpson and the Menéndez brothers brought true crime back into the nation’s consciousness. It was the perfect time for a musical like Chicago to step back into the spotlight. New York City Center’s Encores! series put on a production of Chicago in 1996, which transferred to Broadway. Choreographed by Ann Reinking, the show stays true to Bob Fosse’s dance style but uses a more pared-down set, allowing the performances to truly shine on their own merit. This production still runs today, making Chicago the longest-running American musical on Broadway. In 2002, a film adaptation of the musical was released, and it won the Academy Award for Best Picture, further cementing its icon status. The renewed success of this musical highlights its ability to draw audiences, proving that a compelling narrative combined with dynamic performances can transcend time.
Tatiana Atehortua, 21, is studying Music Performance at the County College of Morris, in New Jersey. With a focus in mallet percussion, she has been playing in orchestras for musical productions since 2017.
HELP THE BROADWAY MAVEN: The Broadway Maven is currently taking inventory of how we can best help readers, students, and viewers. Your participation in this three-question survey would be greatly appreciated, and skip any questions you wish. The survey simply asks for constructive feedback about MARQUEE, Broadway Maven classes, and the YouTube channel.
PIANO TALK: This week, music educator and Broadway Maven co-host Mateo explores the way motifs work in Les Misérables. Unlike a show like Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, in which motifs represent different characters and ideas, motifs play a very different role in Les Miz. In that show, the motifs relate to a feeling or a mood rather than a character. Mateo provides enough examples that you’ll never hear the score to the show the same way again.
REVIEW: The initials of “Great Gatsby” may be GG, but in the great-but-not-very-great production of that name now playing on Broadway, it’s all about JJ. Those would be the initials of Jeremy Jordan (“Newsies”), who plays the title character with flair and, especially, a powerful voice well-suited for the literary personification of the American Dream. Several songs were praiseworthy, including the Act One closer “My Green Light.” I repeatedly found myself noting clever lyrics, and the dancing (including some wicked tap) deserved the applause it got. Unlike its namesake novel, The Great Gatsby is never going to rank among the best of its genre. But for an afternoon or evening of fun, this Gatsby party is one not to miss.
BROADWAY MAVEN YouTube GEM: Mel Brooks is one of America’s greatest show-tune writers, particularly if you look beyond his two Broadway shows (The Producers and Young Frankenstein) and consider the songs he wrote for his movies – from Robin Hood: Men in Tights to High Anxiety. Here are nine of his best songs from stage and screen.
BROADWAY BLAST: In Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I, the song “Shall We Dance?” isn’t only about literal stepping and twirling. Nor is it just about the carefully intimate-but-not-sexual relationship the king has built with Anna. It’s also about the “dance” between Thailand and the West. The elegance and hesitance in their physical dance mirror the broader narrative of cautious yet hopeful cultural exchange, showcasing how personal connections can bridge – or try to bridge – vast cultural divides.
CONGRATULATIONS: A big Broadway Maven mazel tov to this last semester’s Maven Scholars: Tatiana Atehortua, Sheva Schwartz, and Ella Shaul. Each has created a substantial bit of research for MARQUEE: Sheva’s video on Sondheim’s musical pointillism ran last month, Tatiana’s piece on the history of Chicago is above, and Ella’s video on the characters in Into the Woods will appear in coming months. Each Scholar will receive $500, a certificate, and four invitations to Broadway shows. Applications for the next Maven Scholar Program will be available next month.
OFF-BROADWAY TICKET GIVEAWAY: The Broadway Maven is giving away a pair of tickets to any non-sold-out performance through June 23 of Breaking the Story, a powerful new off-Broadway play through Second Stage at the Tony Kiser Theatre about foreign correspondents. Hit reply to this E-mail no later than Friday night, June 7, with a request to be entered in the drawing and one name will be selected at random and awarded the two tickets.
Note: links to register for ALL classes are always available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.
• Sunday, June 16 Tonys Watch Party (ALL-ACCESS Only)
• Monday, July 1 FREE class on Gypsy Noon and 7 pm ET(Registration opens soon!)
• Monday, July 15 FREE class on Into the Woods Noon and 7 pm ET(Registration opens soon!)
• Friday, July 26-Sunday, July 28 BroadwayCon in Times Square (three panels hosted by The Broadway Maven)
• Mondays in August: Noon and 7 pm ET Rodgers and Hammerstein series
• Tuesdays in August: Noon ET Stephen Schwartz series
• Mondays in September: Noon and 7 pm ET Jewish Broadway series
• Tuesdays in September: Noon ET Sondheim Academy Act Three
NOTE: As always, ALL-ACCESS Passholders do not have to sign up or pay for anything. Just show up!
LAST BLAST: In Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, narrator Prologus indicates that his role for the night, that of Roman slave Pseudolus, is his favorite, since it requires “enormous variety and nuance.” That’s a meta-theatrical joke that’s easy to miss. Playing Pseudolus does NOT require variety and nuance – at all. It’s a broad comedic role, with slapstick humor and not-so-subtle gags. The character is part of a stock type from Roman comedies, the crafty slave. Subtlety has never been part of that tradition, so we’re faced with irony from the very start of the show.
Broadway Maven David Benkof helps students further their appreciation of musical theater through his classes, his YouTube channel, and MARQUEE: the Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast. Contact him at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.