All that Jazz (Redline Performing Arts)

Apr 7

2 min read

1

125

1

Chicago: The Musical Music and Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse Based on the play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins Directed by Alonzo Ramont

A review by Brian Kennedy

There’s plenty of jazz to go along with the sass, sexuality and murder during the Redline Performing Arts-presented Chicago: The Musical.

Alonzo Ramont directed Chicago, which uses a Jazz Age setting, vaudeville-style numbers, sarcasm, scantily-clad dancers, and quite a few surprises to tell the story of Roxie Hart (Peighton Radlein). She gained fame after, in a fit of passion, murdering her lover Fred Casely (Louise Hopson). In an era where celebrity criminals dominated front page news, Hart and others, like Velma Kelly (Tymika Prince) battle to be the biggest name out there. With a lawyer like the smooth-talking Billy Flynn (Tyler Akin), Hart just might get what she’s been craving.

The stage that was the Mex Theater, inside Kentucky Performing Arts, was small, especially with the sold-out crowd seated inside. Yet, the space that was still available was expertly used. Dancers delivered delightfully decadent performances at center stage, behind a screen, behind the audience, with puppets and in corners, all to the deserved applause from the audience. Credit choreographers Zachary Boone, JaNaye Flanagan, Kaylee Jewel, Maggie Patten, and Joshua Penaflorida for their creative work in that space.

Then, there were the vocal performances, all of which, performed with the awesome Gayle King-led backstage live band, were very, very good. The opener "All That Jazz," with a sensual lead vocal from Prince, set the stage for the energetic performances to come.

Energy was in high gear during "Cell Block Tango," where “Velma and the Murderesses” (That’s how they’re billed in the program.) sing and dance cabaret-style with plenty of sarcasm about how their respective lovers met their fates. That led to much audience laughter and applause.

Balancing out the uptempo, almost nonstop energy were the more emotional moments. Many of those came from Roxie’s husband Amos (Dexter Crowdus). As Roxie’s fame hits a fever pitch, Amos finds himself even further in her shadow than he already was. Crowdus’s solo song "Mister Cellophane" was devastating in the best way. He made you feel his pain.

Really, there were many enjoyable aspects of the show, especially the character work. Akin gave the lawyer Flynn the right amount of gloss and flirtatious attitude. Hopson, as Casely, provided the perfect counterpoint attitude to lover Roxie, whom Radlein infused with the needed expressions.

The only issue was the backstage band was a little too loud for those sitting next to the actor entrance/exit locations in the corners. It made any attempt to hear singers at center stage all the more difficult. Also, there were several points in both acts where anyone sitting near those corners could hear backstage conversations happening.

However, to reference "All That Jazz," the show is hot, fast, loose and full of entertaining or, at least, interesting surprises. Redline Performing Arts has a good thing going with Chicago: the Musical.

Chicago Redline Performing Arts April 4, 5. 6, 7, 10, 11, 13 MeX Theatre/Kentucky Performing Arts 501 West Main Street Louisville KY 40205 https://www.redlineperformingarts.com