‘Chicago’ — a Review of Bob Fosse’s Musical

Director Gary Krinke and choreographer John Vaughan offer up a bouquet to Bob Fosse in the Civic Theatre’s production of “Chicago,” the musical that Fosse helped stage on Broadway in 1975.

They have a good idea of what Fosse, one of musical theater’s true innovators, was all about. The result is an entertaining show that takes some chances by being sly-sexy, especially in the looks department. This isn’t the Great White Way, but by community theater standards, this production has much going for it.

You had to overlook the occasional awkwardness that came with the shift between numbers, which affected the acting scenes during opening night Friday. But it didn’t take much to be taken by the visual style that Krinke and Vaughan brought to everything.

Costumers Carol Young and Ruth Walp help. They’ve dressed the bumping and grinding “Merry Murderesses of Cook County Jail” in garter belts, high heels, thong panties and bustiers. This quintet wouldn’t raise an eyebrow anywhere else, but it seemed pretty racy on a small stage in Orange County.

The thing is, all this is just right for the musical, which is based on a 1920s satire about life in roaring Chicago. Fosse (with John Kander, who wrote the score, and Fred Ebb, lyrics and book) turned it into a vaudeville sendup, full of raw burlesque. It was never a stellar show, but there are effervescent moments, and Krinke takes advantage of them.

The plot is pretty simple. Roxie (Kristine Forbes) shoots her married lover and ends up in jail. But with the help of shyster Billy Flynn (John K. Wilson), a smoothie who knows how to work the media and the public, she becomes a celebrity.

Roxie is angling for a vaudeville tour, but she’s got competition in the cell block from Velma (Toni Valdez), another imprisoned moll who was last season’s media darling. It’s a cat fight from the start.

Forbes approaches the role like a Kewpie doll brought to life–all squeaky voice, big eyes and long legs. Valdez’s Velma, on the other hand, is more of a hard, sarcastic number. Valdez has the better voice, but both are capable, athletic dancers. Wilson’s Billy is perky, but his singing could be stronger.