DPAC's  Chicago  Still  Has  All  That  Jazz

Katie Frieden stars as Roxie Hart in Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville at DPAC (photo by Jeremy Daniel)

When Roxie Hart kills her lover in 1920s Chicago, she finds herself caught up in a frenzy of fame and media attention, topped off with a dose of female rivalry. That's the familiar premise behind Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's beloved Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville, which features music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

And, while most viewers know this story well, the Durham Performing Arts Center is offering up a short-lived chance to see the tale told in a whole new way. APEX Touring's production celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Tony®-winning 1996 Broadway Revival by pulling out all the stops.

Tânia Nardini's recreation of the original production direction, coupled with fun, flashy choreography recreated by Gary Chryst, add fresh zest to this saucy tale. And, speaking of "saucy," Katie Frieden adds just the right blend of spunk and vulnerability in her role as Roxie. It's hard to imagine anything more fun than watching her face off against her nemesis, fellow stardom-obsessed inmate, Velma Kelly, portrayed to sneaky, scheming, sarcastic perfection by Logan Floyd.

The two are also joined by money-hungry lawyer Billy Flynn, played by a charming Jeff Brooks. While he might bring the "razzle dazzle," it's Roxie's cluelessly enamored husband, Amos (Brian Kalinowski), who pulls at the heartstrings. Kalinowski is believably befuddled and sweetly sad in all the right places. His sympathetic rendering of "Mr. Cellophane" is one of the highlights of the show.

Jeff Brooks stars as Bill Flynn in Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville, playing through Sunday, April 30th, at DPAC (photo by Jeremy Daniel)

Similarly, Christina Wells wows as Matron "Mama" Morton, the corrupt warden who pulls all the strings at Cook County Jail. Wells dominates the stage with over-the-top energy and a fun flair for the dramatic.

As fame and crime intertwine and Roxie's fate unfolds, viewers are also treated to well-executed, eye-catching choreography played out against a purposefully stark stage. From the effortlessly smooth opening number to the incredibly high kicks in "I Can't Do It Alone," there's always something interesting to see.

Scantily clad bodies move in magical ways and add to the steamy, sultry atmosphere. Underneath that simmering surface, however, lie themes that call celebrity, greed, and corruption into question, reminding viewers that, even all these years later, Chicago is still incredibly relevant.

Despite that relevancy, this show's DPAC run is as short-lived as the fame you get for committing a heinous crime. Viewers have until Sunday, April 30th, to see the show; and this is one you won't want to miss!

Katie Frieden (left) and Logan Floyd star as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly in the national tour of Chicago:
A Musical Vaudeville, playing now through Sunday, April 30th, at DPAC (photo by Jeremy Daniel)

John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse's CHICAGO: A MUSICAL VAUDEVILLE (In Person at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday, April 28th and 29th), originally directed and choreographed on Broadway in 1975 by Bob Fosse, with 1996 Broadway Revival directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Ann Reinking, and starring Logan Floyd as Velma Kelly, Katie Frieden as Roxie Hart, Jeff Brooks as Billy Flynn, Brian Kalinowski as Amos Hart, Christina Wells as Matron "Mama" Morton, and G.A. James as Mary Sunshine and presented as part of WRAL Greatest Hits of Broadway at DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham). DIGITAL PROGRAM: https://issuu.com/dpac0/docs/dpac_chicago_digital. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdM4bWEKvOk&t=3s. THE PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.dpacnc.com/, https://www.facebook.com/DPACNC, https://www.instagram.com/DPACNC/, https://twitter.com/DPAC, and https://www.youtube.com/user/DPACLive. DIRECTIONS: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/directions. PARKING: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/parking. DPAC COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/vaccination-and-covid-19-test-requirements. WRAL GREATEST HITS OF BROADWAY AT DPAC: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/category/broadway. THE TOUR: https://www.chicagoontour.com/home, https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoOnTour, https://www.instagram.com/ChicagoOnTour/, and https://twitter.com/ChicagoOnTour/. CAST & CREATIVE TEAM: https://www.chicagoontour.com/cast. CHICAGO (1975 Broadway and 1979 West End Musical Vaudeville): https://chicagothemusical.com/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/chicago-9942, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_(musical). CHICAGO (2002 Film): https://www.miramax.com/movie/chicago/, https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/439832/chicago#overview, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299658/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chicago-film-by-Marshall, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_(2002_film). TICKETS: $37.50 and up, plus taxes and ticket fees. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: 919-680-2787 or CustomerService@DPACnc.com. Robert O'Connell's Triangle Review Review Permalink. Susie Potter's Triangle Arts Review Review.

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