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Beautiful murderesses. Media frenzy. Desire for Fame. Courtroom antics. No, this is not a celebrity courtroom drama. These are the themes in the musical "Chicago." The musical takes place in Chicago of the Roaring Twenties. Two women are convicted of murder, and they enlist the help of a corrupt lawyer. The production raised the question of whether the media can sway public opinion, allowing the guilty to get away with a crime.

The musical introduces the first murderess, cabaret singer Velma Kelly. She has just killed her cheating husband and her sister, Veronica, after catching them in bed together. She is carted away to Cook County Prison when her performance is over. In the audience, starry-eyed hopeful, Roxie Hart, is watching Velma perform, dreaming of her own day on the stage. The married Roxie kills her lover when she learns that he's lied about getting her a club gig.

The women compete for public attention. Both hire corrupt lawyer Billy Flynn to get them off and they pay corrupt prison warden Mama Morton favors. Billy, a master manipulator of the women and the media, does what he can to change the women's images and gets the public on their side. The tactics he employs works. Yet, as quickly as they get fame, another sensational murder eclipses their fame.

It's easy to see why its initial release in the 1970s was not successful. The cynical way in which it tackles the idea of murder would make some individuals feel uncomfortable, even by today's standard. My first taste of the musical came in the mid-1990's, as a revival. At that time, celebrity trials were the norm, and the O. J. Simpson trial is still fresh in everyone's mind.

Besides the female lead characters, Billy Flynn overshadows them as being the most energetic personality in the musical. On the heels of the O. J. trial, it is as if he is based on Johnnie Cochran. Both men are stars of the courtroom, making an ordinary day in court seem like a scene in a movie, complete with drama, comedy and unexpected plot twists. They both also create their own quotable lingo.

In current memory, most people associate Velma Kelly with the superb performance of Catherine Zeta-Jones. However, for me, Bebe Neuwirth is my introduction to the play. Because I didn't live in New York, I watched her performance on television. As good as it looks on a small screen, I can imagine how spectacular it is on the stage. Of course, every person puts their own spin on a character. It depends on the taste of the viewers most of the time.

Overall, the music, the action, and the characters make this play worthwhile, whether you get to see it live, watch the movie adaptation or check out a copy of the stage presentation from the library.

Learn more about this author, Cicely Richard.
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