Chicago free essay sample

Prohibition-era musical based on a 1926 play of female criminals in Chicago. It is a tale of sin, corruption, knockout dancing, and edge-of-your-story showstoppers that explore feminism as well as the relationship between sex and marriage. Not only does it entail social issues, but the changes in theatre too. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are main characters of the musical. The plot follows them throughout their journey to freedom desperately trying to keep fame to their names with scandals and drama. (1920s) Original: Based on a 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. A claimed reason for its more recent success is due to the way she crafted the play, with musical numbers as the plot.  Watkin’s set the foundation on the Kander and Ebb production because she made personal. Events that occurred within the musical, are historical events that actually happened in Chicago that she wrote about first hand as a reporter in the 1920s. We will write a custom essay sample on Chicago or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is composed in the 1920s vaudeville style, but modernized by the issues at hand. The issues of society along with the feminist views exhibit Chicago’s impact in the history of musical theatre. Emphasized show-biz and media, showing its large role in the 1970s happenings. The vaudeville style effected the music heavily. Stylistically, vaudeville brings not only drama, but comedy in the duration of the short acts. All That Jazz is an example of this. Everything Comes Together: The lyrics work beautifully with the choreography to create the thematic essence that is necessary in a successful satirical musical. The plot is intricately intertwined with these two aspects to emphasize its uniqueness. The dancing seems more modern whereas the music is classic jazz, but it adds to the originality that is Chicago. It is a timeless musical. Humor. The relationships between men and women within the play are being implicitly exhibited. Creative Team: Witty lyrics, funky rhythms, jazzy Risk-aye choreography for the time frame it was set in. Dancing: sexual and expressive The creators carefully seleted the cast members in order to pull off this special masterpiece. Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment popular in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill. Roxie: It’s about her claim to fame. â€Å"Who says that murder’s not an art,† this line emphasizes the thought which, during this time period, many women felt that murder was not all that bad. It was justifiable. Killing Fred Casely is what initially brought her publicity. Moreover, Roxie is singing about how everyone is going to know her; she will be a celebrity with a lot of money. In the song she says the reason everyone love to watch because they â€Å"never got enough love in their childhood,† meaning that they share a twisted acceptance of rebellion. The song shows how celebrity hungry and selfish she is in general. Towards the end of the number she references Sophie Tucker, a former vaudevillian, saying how she will be enraged to see Roxie’s name has more of an effect than hers. This aspect of the song shows the harsh side of show business and interestingly enough she tells the truth in the song, which contrasts the theme of corruption. All That Ja zz: ATJ is a clever, brassy jazz song that introduces the cultural changes going on in Chicago. The music consists of mostly brass instruments, for impact. Velma Kelly sings about the theme of liberation of women. Adultery, showing skin, exotic dancing, and short hair are all things that were arising. All  That Jazz is performed right after Velma murders her sister and husband and it vocalizes her new independence as a women. The choreography along with the lyrics showcase how suggestive and sexual the song is towards the audience. Mr. Cellophane: Roxie’s husband, Amos, sulks about how not only his wife, but everyone he comes to know, hardly notices him. He feels invisible, like cellophane. His character represents the little people that tend to be forgotten once fame comes into the picture. Amos showed Roxie all the attention she craves, but it goes by unappreciated and unrecognized.