There have been dozens of theatre productions that Bellevue College’s Theatre Arts Department has produced over the years and they have most recently adapted Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb’s 1975 “Chicago,” composed by John Kander.
The Spring Musical has always been the big and bright Broadway titles: 2018’s production of “Heathers The Musical,” 2014’s “Into the Woods,” 2013’s “Translations”. “Chicago” is definitely not an exception to the case. Kander’s piece is most known for its 2002 movie adaptation titled “Chicago: The Musical”, starring Renee Zellweger (as Roxie Hart) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (as Velma Kelly). It has become a cult classic for Broadway lovers.
Set in the midst of the Roaring Twenties, the plot follows Roxie Hart, who becomes a convicted murderer sent to death row after murdering her adulterous lover. It highlights the drama and satire of fame, fortune and bribery.
There were expectations for Professor Detta Vines, as “Chicago” is a large project to uphold, even with a 40-show production experience. An actress in multiple theatre groups, including The 5th Avenue, Seattle Musical Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre and others, Professor Vines is seasoned with Broadway and musicals, which is why the show did not disappoint.
With about 7 astounding shows, opening night on the evening of May 29 was beyond stressful, caused by a delay due to audience conflict. However, it did not overshadow the whispers of excitement among parents, peers and other audience members about seeing their child or friend perform brightly in front of a full studio audience.
It was an immersive experience, to say the least. The direction to perform among the audience and use all the space possible helped bring the story to life and immerse everyone into the settings of Mama’s jail cells, Velma and Roxie’s stage and more. It was quite unexpected to have jazz hands shaking a foot away from your face, but “All That Jazz” was quite a thrill.
The casting for Velma Kelly was the perfect choice. With it being their dream role (as stated in the program brochure), it was an honor to hear their heart and soul be put into curating a college-original depiction of Velma. Apart from the theatrics, the actor’s voice was on par with Zeta-Jones’ Velma, even silkier though more juvenile. They were, without a doubt, my favorite part of the musical. It was hilarious to watch their desperation during “I Can’t Do It Alone”, and the sheer exhaustion that the audience felt watching all kinds of jumps and spins that the actor did, concluding the piece with a slow split before they erupted into cheers and applause.
Velma’s counterpart, Roxie, was refreshing and exhilaratingly raunchy. They almost perfected the toxic sweetness of 2002’s Roxie portrayal and even then, they set the alarms off for the parents in the room who were unaware that the “Mature Content” warning was not just about the murder and swearing.
Given that all shows were sold out from start to finish, it was one of the most successful BC Theatre productions as of late, and the most anticipated. It did not disappoint a single soul and the heart, sweat and tears that were poured out into this production are evident in the output of each show.
