"Chicago"

UTC Theatre Co. is bringing old-fashioned razzle dazzle to Chattanooga with Chicago—a story of murder, greed and adultery. Set in 1920s Chicago, this enticing musical follows glamorous murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart as they make headlines for their sinister crimes. Chicago was written by Fred Ebb and John Kander, based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins with the script adaptation by David Thompson, and made famous by Bob Fosse’s choreography.

With unforgettable music, Chicago has been wowing audiences for decades, and UTC Theatre Co. is excited to bring the classic musical to Chattanooga. “As dark and cynical as some of the themes of this show are, it’s amazingly seductive and fun. The music alone just gets stuck in your head. At random times throughout the day, I find myself singing, ‘When you’re in trouble, go into your dance. . . they’ll let you get away with murder,’” says director Steve Ray. “The show takes a steamy mixture of crime, celebrity, greed and lies and makes us laugh at how these things can lead to fame. In a twisted way, it’s a celebration of the dark side of the American spirit.”

Chicago has the largest cast and creative team of the season behind it. “We have a perfect cast for this show,” says Ray. “It’s a dance heavy show, and, even though most of our students do not have a lot of dance training, they are really rising to the challenge. Our choreographers have created some beautiful and exciting numbers.” Ray also credits the designers for making the show look spectacular. “Our designers have outdone themselves, recreating the ‘Razzle Dazzle’ of Vaudeville on the Ward stage. Everything shimmers and shines.”

The creative team includes: Steve Ray (director), Adam Miecielica (set design), Kimberly Davis (costume design), Kristin Nalley and Andrew Parker (choreographers), Alex Miller-Long (lighting design), and John Burgess (technical direction).

UTC Theatre Co. presents Chicago in the Dorothy Hackett Ward Theatre located in the UTC Fine Arts Center. The play runs April 17-21 at 7:30 pm, with an additional matinee at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 21. Tickets can be purchased at the UTC Fine Arts Center box office in person or by phone at (423) 425-4269, or by visiting https://www.utc.edu/theatre. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for students (with proof of student ID) and seniors.

Audiences should be advised that Chicago contains violent themes and adult content.