Chicago - The Musical Reviews

Sonny Bozeman from Los Angeles

I LOVE IT!

This version of "Chicago" is one of the best productions of all. How could anyone who loves musical theatre deny it?

Jamie from Toronto, Ontario

SUPER

I have seen Chicago on three different occasions, in three different cities and this cast was the best I have seen. There was tons of energy and enthusiasm from each cast member---it was clear they enjoyed the show themselves and that energy translated to the performance----and it was much funnier than any other iteration of the show. I would see it again in a flash!

Erica Plemons from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

MY LOVE FOR CHICAGO

I, like so many others, have only seen the movie version of Chicago, but last night's show was absolutely amazing!!!!! All of the actors/actresses where on their game and it was a night I will never forget!!!! I hope to see it again and again! Was very much worth the money to see! Fantastic!

Miriam from Detroit, Michigan

CHICAGO MUSICAL @ FISHET THEATER IN DETROIT, MI - BEST SHOW!

I attended the Chicago Musical @ Fisher theater in Detroit, MI on 12-Feb-16 and it is the best musical production I have ever seen. All thanks to the outstanding performance of the cast. Fabulous/fun/sexy !!! The choreography/dancing and singing is the best production ever. What a great honor for the Fisher theater to host this musical. Don't miss this opportunity to go see it. Don't mind the weather, it will get 'warm' inside.

Maureen bolognone from Toronto Canada

CHICAGO IN DETROIT

My 13yo son and I saw CHICAGO yesterday ay the Fisher theater---amazing. We really enjoyed the show. After we went to the stage door for my son to get autographs of the cast. The actors were all very kind and he was able to get his program signed. Excellent experience.

Wayne and Donna Mazurek from Schenectady, New York

CHICAGO

This was an awesome version of the show. It had great singing , dancing and music. It was funny and entertaining. Best of all was the enthusiasm of the cast. No matter where you looked on the stage the cast members seemed to be genuinely enjoying performing. The leads were top, top shelf. The theatre is beautiful and seating provided great views. Don't miss it!!

Dave Hartman from Chicago, Illinois

CREAM RISES TO THE TOP.

Let's start at the bottom; the actors supporting the leads are some of the best I've ever seen. Special kudos to Paul Vogt, who plays the gullible, sweet and sad clown husband of Roxie Hart, Amos "Mr. Cellophane". Mr. Vogt, you need your own show. And Alexa Lowis's Hungarian "Hunyak" was the most heart-wrenching characterization of that doomed character I've ever seen. Ms. Fouche's "Momma" the jailhouse fixer was superb and man, can she belt out a tune. The leads for Roxie and Velma are as good as it is possible to get. Powerhouse singing and non-stop dancing make these difficult parts and the actors ace it. Eddie George is a literally Huge presence as the money-hungry attorney. The man has some pipes on him. And all the Fosse dancers are snap crackle pop sharp. So, it's just that good, and will be remembered as a 2019 high point in Chicago theater long after it's too brief run.

Vickie Seabon from Rochester, New York

SEXY, ENERGETIC, ENTERTAINING

The actors were original with great voices. You could feel the energy in every movement. The singing was chilling and the acts seemed impromptu. There was lots of spice in the performance that kept both men and women on the edge of their seats. Moma was a secret treat who really played the part. It was a performance that made the audience want more. I love the diversity and beauty in all aged and races. It is definitely an adult show with all sorts of humor. I love it, love it, love it! This is a must-see!

Colleen Bevans from Houston, Texas

CHICAGO- OUTSTANDING!!

I've seen the movie and the musical on stage once before- this was SO MUCH BETTER! Christina Wells as "Mama" blows it outta the park!! This woman is a multi-talented dynamo-- I knew she could sing-- I mean- REALLY SING, but she was the best actor on the stage. Many times when a big name singer does a musical, the acting is not on point- she was just fantastic!!! Roxy was also very good- a fantastic dancer and believable. Great job to the entire cast!! The background dancers were fantastic, the band was fantastic- STELLAR!!

CJR from Clarkston, Michigan

CHICAGO IN DETROIT

Spectacular! So entertaining! What a talented cast! The orchestra was phenomenal! What a delight to go to the Fisher Theater and see a Broadway sensation. Fabulous!!!

Dave G from Boston, Massachusetts

A GREAT NIGHT OUT

My wife and I went to the Emerson to see Chicago in Boston. A packed house and everyone loved it. Had dinner at Maggiano's made for a great night out. Standing ovation at the end.

Ellen from Wilton, Connecticut

HIGH ENERGY ENTERTAINMENT

We caught the Saturday matinee performance in New Haven. This tour emulates the production revived by the late Ann Reinking. Everything about the show and the company is spectacular. We especially liked the actors playing Roxie Hart, Billy Flynn, Matron Mama Morton, and Mary Sunshine. Having the orchestra on stage was a fun plus. The choreography is great and you could tell all the actors were having a fun time. We have had subscriptions to the Shubert Theater for several years now and they have been worth every penny. The seats assigned to us have remained the same and could almost be considered house seats. Claire's Corner Copia, directly across the street from the theater, is our go-to restaurant for a delicious vegetarian pre-show lunch. Finally, convenient parking in a large multi-level lot is just a few feet away nearly next to the theater.

Howard Rubin from Las Vegas, Nevada

GREAT PRODUCTION

Everything from the cast and choreography to the staging it was first class! I have enjoyed the play several times before but this was the best.

David Archuleta from Denver, Colorado

BEST PERFORMANCE YET !

I've seen this several times past. The orchestra on stage is a fantastic change. The tuba, bone ,sax- all of it sounded so much better. This was the best performance of all of them. Great job- a must see !!

B. Smith from San Jose, California

5.5 STARS! SO MANY LEGS BROKEN

This cast was amazing, from their timing, to their energy, to their enthusiasm. Nothing is more thrilling than watching talent at the highest levels do what they do better than most others - the detail of the performances were incredible. And, the band!!... beautiful renditions of jazz-on brass. To sum it up in the spirit of all considerations..."Roxy Hart, to love you and die at your hand is better than to have never loved you at all. Mary me Roxy Hart, Mary me!" :)

Anonymous from Boston, Massachusetts

CHICAGO IN BOSTON

I saw the play for the 4th time in Boston on Sunday,November4th. It was the best version I have seen to date,Twice in Boston, once regional and one in NYC. Yes, Christy Brinky can not sing,(she held a tune) act or dance, however, she is so darn sweet and beautiful, her looks played the part. John Hurley was a wonderful Billy Flynn, his signing was in tune and his dancing was, well, Billy Flynn-ish. A Razzle Dazzler! The music was spot on and just so Jazzy. The supporting cast was beautiful to watch. They are strong in their dance, song and acting. The jury , what a hoot! That was the funnyest part of the show. My only regret is that Amos should have worn the bolla hat for his song. That would have completed his outfit and added to the look of the routine. I give this show a BIG FAT 4 stars, well done!

Joe from Scranton, Pennsylvania

CAST WAS SUPERB!

I attended the Sunday April 15 2018 show at the Scranton cultural Center. In short, the cast and staging were wonderful. The SOUND left much to be desired. For a good 25- 30% of the show you could barely hear what the performers were singing. Whether it was an issue with the mixing or the on-stage orchestra was just too loud it marred an otherwise spectacular performance. I will say this was the first time sound was an issue for me at this venue.

Cookie from Houston, Texas

ENTERTAINING AND EXCELLENT DANCE

Overall it was a really well done performance. The dancers are fabulous and the lead characters well chosen. The Billy Flynn character was superb and as good a voice as Broadway. Mama Morton was incredible. Slow & dragging a bit in the 2nd act and for the life of me I don't understand why it was at all necessary to rip the wig off Mary Sunshine to show the audience the actor was a male.

from Minneapolis, Minnesota

AVERAGE

I thought the singing was good. But I was disappointed in the set and costumes. The dancing also left a bit to be desired. For what I paid to go to this show, I did expect a little production value.

K from Spokane, Washington

LANGUAGE

Why add bad language - no f words but others. Took Lord’s name in vain twice. Not necessary. Amos (Roxie’s husband) was great. So were MaMa and Billy (the attorney). Dancing was great. Singing (besides aforementioned) was ok. Nothing to rave about.

Samantha from West Palm Beach, Florida

FEMALES SHOULD PLAY FEMALE ROLES

The show was overall pretty good. But I really wish they stuck to having females playing sexy, female roles. Kind of ruin the show for me having a male playing a top female sexy role. Stuck out like a sore thumb being so tall and being a man. Singing was good dancing was OK. There was hardly any sets whatsoever. I don’t care what you identify as, that’s your choice. But I don’t believe in taking away female roles for a man when he cannot play the role properly.

D. Murphy from Toronto, Ontario

CELLOPHANE

I took my husband to see Chicago. Me being a huge fan of the play and Movie, I was so disappointed that I introduced my husband to live theatre, with this version. I should have research more. The singing iwas great, just a little flat, it seemed that the enthusiasm was not there. I felt, I was at my daughter’s jazz recital, where tickets were $25, not $150. This production should be billed as “the songs of Chicago” . When Billy Flin made his appearance, I thought okay now we will see some tap dancing, nope, just a few jazz hands and upper body movement! It should have been wrapped in Cellophane and stayed in the closet. I gave it 2 stars because of the effort of the cast to stay seated on either side of the huge box, holding the brass band looked like they were having more fun than the cast singing.

John from Tucson, Arizona

LACKED ENERGY

I was surprised to see how much energy was missing from the performance. Mama was particularly wooden and Roxy seemed a little mousy in the role. The lawyer was very good. I don't know what was going on with Mary Sunshine but that whole situation seemed superfluous. The integration of the orchestra was interesting, however, that was the only thing that was interesting about the set design. The "casting" of the jury was inspired. But, for the most part, the performance seemed drawn out and the energy was low. I was expecting more.

RJ from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

NOTHING LIKE THE ORIGINAL

Chicago is a great musical. However, this Broadway Across America production leaves a lot to be desired. Both female leads were awfully weak and, sadly, they are not particularly good dancers. How well I remember the original and the revival (seen 3 times each on Broadway) and there is simply NO comparison. John O'Hurley is quite good as Billy Flynn. He actually came the closest to really capturing the flavor of the show. And, oh, they messed up the choreography something fierce! Yes, it's still worth seeing as it's difficult to destroy this show. But, a major disappoinment!

Scott Miller from Houston, Texas

CHICAGO - LESS RAZZLE DAZZLE

Wife and I went to see opening night. In short it was a pale comparison to the NYC and Movie version. Most main characters lacked real pop and believability. John Hurley, the male character of Billy Flynn was the only exception. John added his own flavor to the character and was outstanding and enjoyable to watch. Mama Morton, played by veteran Carol Woods was more wooden than Matron. I'm pretty sure that character is supposed to move when on stage ... not just sing (which she does well). The other characters tried to add their own flavor but,they just weren't consistent with the character. The lighting guy was on another page most the night and missed many que's and had the spot on wrong people. I suggest, stay home, rent the movie, pop some corn and save on the drink prices. You'll enjoy it more. .

Terri Burchess from Lincoln NE

DISAPPOINTING

Christie Brinkley does not have the voice or dance skill to do justice to the role of Roxy. The rest of the cast was fantastic and they carried the show. I would love to see it again with a professional singer and dancer playing Roxy.

Leah Tew from Atlanta, Georgia

LEFT AT INTERMISSION

I took my mother-in-law to see this show at The Fox in Atlanta, one of our favorite venues. We were very disappointed and left at intermission. We couldn’t understand what the cast was saying or singing, and the costuming left us guessing regarding roles. We had never seen the show before, so we couldn’t follow the plot and had no idea what was going on. Certainly the performers are very talented, but there just seemed to be a lot of movement and sound going on, with no real purpose. I have to admit that I was relieved when my mother-in-law indicated that she was ready to leave, because I was starting to fall asleep. A real disappointment, and an expensive one, too. We’ve enjoyed shows in our small, local theater significantly more than this one.

Theater Lover from Chicago, Illinois

DULL AND SLEEPY

This show was so disappointing. The cast lacked energy and cohesiveness, there were issues with volume throughout (e.g we were in third row center and could barely hear the words), and the whole show just fell flat. The leads were weak, and there was no spark. My daughter’s high school production of this show was frankly much better. Would not recommend.

Disappointed from Chicago, Illinois

COMPLETELY UNINSPIRED

This was rough. My husband got tickets as a surprise because he knows how much I love the show and this production was so poor, we left at intermission. The leads (and everyone else, but especially the leads) are weak. The dancing is unexciting. The blocking and choreography is boring, mediocre and did not take sight lines into account. The sound was off (music was not loud enough and some dialogue was hard to hear). No one on stage had any chemistry. Were this a regional theater production, I would have understood the lack of professionalism and finesse, but for the level of production and the cost of tickets, this was embarrassing and inexcusable.

Maria Rosen from San Antonio, Texas

NOT THE BEST!

Velma was not her best today! Her singing was well done but the dancing left a lot to be desired! Low energy for Velma and way too masculine! The last dance was horrible! it was probably the worst version of Chicago to date!

Jane from Costa Mesa, California

I REALLY WANTED TO LIKE IT…

I was so painfully disappointed in this production. Zero set changes, zero sets period. Zero costume changes. There was some good choreography, but unable to really see it due to the black costumes on black stage. The show seemed to lack energy (even though the actors seemed to be working frantically) and I was bored and disengaged. The band was louder than the vocals and I could not hear dialogue, left me with a headache. I left before intermission.

from Costa Mesa, California

THEY HAD IT COMING

My family was very excited to see Chicago, as we are all big fans of the original and the film. We immediately noticed at least 10 basic theater flaws by the second song. No sets, big props, costumes, and tech issues were some of the consistent issues aside from the acting and dancing. We all left disappointed and being my mother's birthday, she said she would rather watch the movie next time. The big songs weren't big, some scenes confusing, and overall a flop. With 2 theater majors in our family, we were surprised something "professional" could have so many newbie errors.

Sue from Charlotte, North Carolina

DISAPPOINTING AND UNDERWHELMING

We saw this musical tonight in Charlotte at Belk Theater and we were all very disappointed. We had a hard time hearing the cast and what they were saying. Also it felt like they were lip singing the songs… the costumes were blah and there were no wardrobe changes the entire play, no stage scenery, the orchestra in the background on the stage the whole play was not a smart move. This is a great story and had so much potential, seemed to be low budget. The only positive was the music but even that wasn’t enough to save this play.

Sandra Donald from Toronto, Ontario

CHICAGO

This production was very disappointing. So much so, that my family and I left during intermission. We have seen this show on Broadway and this production and cast didn't hold a candle. The cast was too young and the entire show lacked the polish that the Broadway show has. What a waste of time.

Chris from Toronto, Ontario

LIFELESS

I give this a 2 for effort. Casting felt like a rag tag collection of 'who was up for it'. Singing/acting lifeless, choreography amateurish, even the orchestra was uninspired. Nothing very entertaining here. Shame on you Mirvish, I expect so much more for my theatre $.

James from Toronto, Ontario

DISAPPOINTED

Only 1 set the whole play Very little attempts to chance or enhance the set outside of some chairs and lighting Cast members playing multiple roles with 0 custume changes (shirtless dancer is also a cop, reporter, juror all the same custume) Singing and music was very good. Performance was lacking. Most solo numbers lacked anykind of dancing or movement. Billy was amazing, but again little movement or razle dazzle during his numbers Roxie was played by the understudy but she did a great job. Velma sung well but it was very distracting seeing this role played by a man(not sure how he identifies but he looks like a man) Considering the price and hype i was very disappinted with the show. It felt very simple and almost budget. Would of liked to see some set and custume changes and atleast 1 spectacular scene.

Allysa Aaron from Las Vegas, Nevada

CHICAGO IS A DISAPPOINTMENT

This is the first play that I have been to that HAS NO SET. No costume changes. Very Cheap Production. I felt like it was a Musical review of the Chicago songs as opposed to a full Broadway or even local production. I felt cheated.

Alison Pearce from Denver, Colorado

DISAPPOINTED

Chicago has always been our favorite musical, we know every word to every song so we were excited to see it here in Denver. However, the set was terrible, it was basically just bleachers on the stage with the band and maybe a few chairs every once in a while. If I wasn’t familiar with the storyline, I would have been highly confused. We left feeling underwhelmed .

Kirk from San Diego, California

UNDERWHELMING, OVERPRICED, NO SETS, NO COSTUME CHANGES

First off my wife and I saw the Chicago production with Patty La Belle as momma in LA years ago and were blown away at everything. Loved that and wanted more. This production had us dying for the intermission so we could leave. It literally seemed like community theater. I have seen better productions at Jr Collleges and even high schools. It was like watching a rehearsal. The only prop used were the stools and the fans during the Billy Flynn first song. He held a very impressive long note, which was the highlight of the night. No one was memorable or impressive. It was just very mediocre from the choreography down to the performances. Felt like a community theater production where you pay $25, but instead we wasted a whole lot more. As we left the usher actually said to us “you couldnt take any more either, huh?” We asked why she said that and she said people had been leaving even BEFORE the intermission. Save your money and watch the movie on a streaming platform.

Disaapointed in Norfolk from Norfolk, Virginia

PAINFULLY DULL.

We thought intermission would never come, and when it did, we left. Apparently there were others that shared our sentiment. I saw about 25 others departing from the same exit heading for the parking garage. I actually saw 2 couples leave during the show. Definitely a disappointment.

Laura from Toronto, Ontario

ZERO STARS FOR ZERO EFFORT

This was horribly flat. No imagination, it felt like all the actors were going through the motions of one of the longest running musicals of all time. The sad part is, everyone is very talented, but I blame everything on poor direction and choreography. Really a shame

from Minneapolis, Minnesota

UNDERWHELMING

scenery---boring singing---little harmony, voices of the leads did not go together well costumes---dull and hard to discern with so much dull black on stage scenery---too busy with orchestra on the stage, everything was a dull black, little to treat the eye Billy Flynn---little expression and even less movement overall---felt like cast was trying too hard and just couldn't pull it off, a very dull, underwhelming and disappointing show

from Phoenix, Arizona

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL

Boring! Disappointing set. Most songs sounded like repeats. Orchestra on the stage was distracting. I expected a lot more for $150/ticket.

Egon admann from Las Vegas, Nevada

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL AT THE VENETIAN

We left after 30 minutes,it was awful.Save your money and see something else.

Jo from Chicago, Illinois

OPENING NIGHT CHICAGO IL

Disappointed in the performance, we were sitting in the mezzanine level and had trouble hearing the main characters voices singling or speaking. The band seemed louder than the singing and drowned their voices out. You expect a punch when you hear “all the jazz” but it was flat and uninteresting. We love this musical and we’re so looking forward to seeing the 25th anniversary show but left disappointed.

Sarah A. from Chicago, Illinois

FLAT CHICAGO

I just saw the musical in Chicago. I was excited to see this awesome musical in the city it is all about. We were so disappointed. The actors were one dimensional, or more infatuated with themselves then with true acting. There is zero, I’m talking zero razzle-dazzle. Costumes are all black, no costume changes, very small band not one single tiny sequence or glitter to catch the eye in the whole thing- except for the last number which had some cheap streamers. Roxy and Velma were poorly cast. Neither of them conveyed any character or personality. Both played it safe, flat, vanilla, boring. Both roles could be so much fun to portray, but neither of them gave their characters any dimension. I feel the same is true for the other cast members as well. This group, at first glance, looks like they have all the chops, but really they are inexperienced and amateur actors. The Director didn’t help them dig deeper or give more depth. I couldn’t wait to leave. The songs are great but their delivery made them on enjoyable . I was shocked and sad to see this very poor performance. Band was talented but didn’t have a lot of support. Neither Velma nor Roxy had any edge and fell short of their calling.

Kevin from Chicago, Illinois

COULDN'T MAKE IT PAST INTERMISSION

I hate writing this, but I want you to be able to make the decision for yourself if you want to drop some coin for 1.5 hrs of jazz hands and not much else. The cast has no chemistry. The set is severely lacking, opting to have the orchestra take up most of the stage, relying on simple lighting to carry the rest of the show. Because of the lack of space, there isn't nearly as much room for creative blocking, and as such the choreography feels so lazy. And it's such a miss to deprive the audience of the set and costumes that represented the period. Otherwise, it's a couple of flapper outfits and some leather vests and black see through shirts for everyone else. For the anticipation, setting, and cost of this show, you will expect much, much more. Hate writing a negative review, but honestly, they had it coming. My wife and I both reached for the gun, but couldn't find the director.

Susie from Costa Mesa, California

UNINSPIRED

I went to see Chicago at the Segerstrom center for performing arts last night. I was beyond disappointed and left halfway through. The characters were squeaky, whiny, and dull and had no chemistry with each other or the audience. No costume changes--everything was in black on a black stage, and very hard to see with a darkened out orchestra, all dressed in black, taking up half of the stage. Very little choreography and not worth the price. Save your money.

Mary Franz Doyle from Boston, Massachusetts

CHICAGO IN BOSTON

It was hands down the absolute worst show I’ve ever seen. High school performances skyrocket over this rendition of Chicago. No set, no set changes, no costume changes, choreography?? Ha! There is none..there is zero razzle dazzle. Velma could not be any more the wrong casting choice if you tried. There is a reason they/them is left out of all promotional materials. This was a gift and we left at intermission along with 40% of the audience. Dont waste your money.

Sandra from Toronto, Ontario

THE PITS

Left at intermission. It was a night out for my birthday, and having seen the production on Broadway, was very excited, but it failed on so many levels. Velma was the worst casting I had seen in a long time. I think that casting was a checkbox checked off, as you can't tell me that was the best performer who tried out for the role. Billy Flynn was fantastic! But the rest of the show fell flat. A very expensive disappointment.

Tim from downtown Toronto from Toronto, Ontario

WHAT EVERY OTHER 1 AND 2 STAR RATING SAID

Left at intermission with a huge sense of relief to be out of the theatre. Was so looking forward to this and it felt so much more like a gym dance and fitness class than the Chicago of the film. Absolutely zero chemistry from or among the performers. A stark contrast to Jagged Little Pill which we saw recently and loved..

Sara from Toronto, Ontario

DISAPPOINTED

Was not at all what we expected out of a Broadway show in Toronto. Was so excited to finally see Chicago on stage.. have been seeing shows at mirvish for 30 years. We were all so let down the performance felt so mediocre. The only saving grace was Billy Flynns numbers and the overall dancing. But shocked at the level of acting and singing ...way below the standard. Would not recommend to anyone to see wait until a more polished production comes up. Could've been a high-school production.

JJ from Toronto, Ontario

NOTHING JAZZY HERE

Terrible production and direction. The acting, dancing, and singing fell flat from start to finish. There was zero energy. It was painful sitting through the first act, and we couldn’t leave fast enough at intermission.

Jennifer from Denver, Colorado

TERRIBLE, LEFT AT INTERMISSION

Boring, uninspired, completely underwhelming. Worst show I’ve seen to date. Only redeeming feature was the orchestra, but on stage left very little room for anything else. Could have just listened to the soundtrack or movie and been much happier. Was hard to watch, even until intermission.

San Diego musical lover from San Diego, California

CHICAGO - SAN DIEGO

Great voices but very bland production. No dancing. No color. I love the movie and was so excited and we left right after half. Don’t waste your money. Enjoy the movie. Much better. I love musicals and was so disappointed.

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