Olympia High School Theatre Arts Department Presents

Chicago: Teen Edition

Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse

Music by John Kander

Lyrics by Fred Ebb

Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins

Script adaptation by David Thompson

CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com  

Greed, corruption, exploitation, murder, adultery, intrigue, and all that jazz. What more could you want from a musical?

 Roxie Hart is tired of her hum-drum life with her mechanic husband Amos. She dreams of being a big star in Vaudeville. When Fred Casely comes along speaking the right words and promising connections with Entertainment producers, Roxie begins to have an affair with him. When Fred decides he’s leaving though, Roxie takes matters into her own hands and shoots him dead in her apartment. After failing to get her husband to take the fall for her, Roxie is sent to prison awaiting trial for murder, a crime punishable by death. 

While in prison, Roxie meets the famous Vaudeville Performer, Velma Kelly, who is also awaiting her trial for the accused double-murder of her husband and sister. Velma and Roxie clash as they both clamour for the attention of Billy Flinn, the best lawyer in town. Billy cares about love, and of course the money and fame he will gain from taking their cases. Will he be able to convince a jury of their innocence even when the evidence is stacked against them? Or, will another murdering mistress of the Jazz Age sweep in to steal the spotlight? 

Chicago: The Musical is based on a 1926 play written by then crime reporter, Maurine Dallas Watkins, who decided to take the real cases of murderesses in Chicago and dramatize them. The musical, first conceptualized by Bob Fosse, John Kander, and Fred Ebb, first opened on Broadway in 1975 to mixed reception because it was too racy, too dark. Not even Chita Rivera as Velma and Fosse’s wife, Gwen Verdon as Roxie could make this a hit in the critic’s eyes. In fact, the original New York Times review said, “Indeed, the story‐line with its built‐in satire has really been lost altogether, sacrificed to stunts and shoft‐shoe.” The review goes further to say that although Chicago was a “sleek show. It just seems to be the wrong one.” The show closed after just under 1,000 performances. For its 20 year anniversary, a revival was put together which opened in 1996 and won 6 Tonys in 1997 starring the incomparable Bebe Neuwirth and Anne Reinking as Velma and Roxie respectively. That production just became the longest running musical currently on Broadway with 10,337 performances as of April 16, 2023.

Join us as we bring this classic to the Olympia High School Performing Arts Center stage with our own twist!

Cast, Crew, and Pit Members can be found at: https://bit.ly/OHSChicago   

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. https://www.purplepass.com/#u45261/Olympia_School_District_-_Theater_Productions.html 

Performances Dates & Times

May 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 2023

All performances will begin @ 7:00 PM. Doors will open at 6:30 PM.

Matinee Performance: May 13th @1pm.

Cost (All Seats are Reserved)

$10 for General Ticketed Patrons

$8 for Seniors (65 and older)

$8 for Students (18 and younger)

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram: @ohstheatrearts

Use the #ohschicago to let people know you're coming

All attendees are encouraged to wear masks, but masks will not be required to be worn inside the PAC during the performance.

For questions, please email Dallas Myers: dmyers@osd.wednet.edu