Chicago brings razzle dazzle and all that jazz

Jonathan Roxmouth as Billy Flynn and Carmen Pretorius as Roxie Hart. Dress rehearsal for Chicago at the Civic Theatre. Photo / Jason Oxenham

When Chicago opened on Broadway in 1996, no one could have anticipated how much it would "razzle dazzle" audiences but, 22 years later, the musical has been performed 8800 times in New York alone and now tours the world.

The latest international touring production doesn't open somewhere in the United States or the United Kingdom but right here in New Zealand. It'll play in Auckland for three weeks before a two week stint in Wellington followed by performances well into 2019 in China, South Africa and Germany.

Max Finbow, of co-production company London-based David Ian Productions, and James Cundell, the chief executive of the UK's Lunchbox Productions, says they choose New Zealand because audiences are receptive and supportive. Cundell jokes he also wanted to time opening week with being able to see the All Blacks play rugby.

Jonathan Roxmouth as Billy Flynn and Carmen Pretorius as Roxie Hart. Photo / Jason Oxenham

When the 23 performers and 11 piece-band take to the stage, thousands of New Zealanders will be transported to Chicago of the 1920s and will see sequins, feathers and polished performances underpinned by dozens of hours in rehearsals — held mainly in South Africa — and intense backstage manoeuvrings.

Of course, there will be no hint of the any drama, comedy or scale of the production that's gone on behind the scenes.

Last Monday, crates full of lighting and sound equipment, set and costumes arrived at the Civic Theatre; the task of bringing the story of Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly and lawyer Billy Flynn to life began with 51 local and touring crew unpacking those crates.

On Tuesday, 28 lighting and sound techies continued the install so, on Wednesday, rehearsals could begin. The Herald on Sunday was invited backstage to photograph the early stages of stage construction, lighting rigging, band sound checks (the musicians play 35 different instruments between them) and, on Friday, following a full day of rehearsals on Thursday, the final media call.

About Chicago:

Dress rehearsal for Chicago at the Civic Theatre. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The musical started life in the 1920s when reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins was inspired by the 1924 murder trials of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner which she covered for the Chicago Tribune. She created the characters Roxie Hart (based on Annan) and Velma Kelly (based on Gaertner) who appeared in her 1926 play about murder, the media and the power of celebrity criminals to corrupt justice.

In the 1970s, composer John Kander, writer/lyricist Fred Ebb and choreographer Bob Fosse outook Dallas Watkins kiss-and-tell story of Roxie Hart (based on Annan) and Velma Kelly (inspired by Gaertner) and turned it into the musical we know today.

Since the 1996 revival, Chicago has become the longest-running American musical on Broadway and the West End. It has grossed more than $1.5 billion worldwide through some 30,000 performances in 35 countries and 12 different languages.

The gear that arrived:

The Chicago stage show setting up at the Civic Theatre in Auckland. Photo / Doug Sherring

• four semi trailers of stage and production equipment
• 70 speakers
• 30 amplifiers
• 450 lights
• 30 radio microphones
• a piano and a drum kit

The costumes:

Jonathan Roxmouth as Billy Flynn. Photo / Jason Oxenham

• Roxie has the fastest quick change: 49 seconds
• There are 27 pairs of shoes in the show
• The only other colour in the show is Amos's white socks & gloves, Mary Sunshine's vest and Billy's hankies in his pocket and the flower on the jacket — the rest of the show is all black
• Swarovski crystals are used on Roxie's lace dress and Velma's jazz dress
• The same costumes designs are used in all productions of this version of the show seen around the world.