6 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy and with over 11,000 performances in 36 countries, Chicago, one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway, arrives in Bucharest on April 6 and 7, 2024
Chicago will be played on the stage of the Bucharest Metropolitan Circus
The actor and producer George Costin, known to the public for the shows “Amadeus”, “Colivia cu nebune” and “The MF with the hat”, all performed with closed houses, brings to the stage of the Bucharest Metropolitan Circus all the decadence and brilliance of the 20s, in Chicago , the show based on the classic story of fame, appearances and betrayal.
“I chose Chicago because it is a masterpiece, and the public in Bucharest deserves to have access to such a work that has generated memorable performances in the world and animated communities. Spectators will have the opportunity to see talented, performing and particularly brave actors in the arena, to listen live to famous and enchanting music, to admire original choreographic creations and to hear a new Romanian translation of a tasty text.” says George Costin
The musical Chicago has over 11,000 performances in 36 countries, being appreciated internationally with 6 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy Award.
Set in the middle of the roaring 20s, Action focuses on Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two criminals who try to manipulate the media to escape prison. Roxie Hart, a young cabaret dancer, kills her lover after he leaves her. In jail, Roxie meets Velma Kelly and Mama Morton who refer her to lawyer Billy Flynn.
This will help her win the media over to her side. A rivalry is born between Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, and the two protagonists fight to the end for freedom and fame.
The artists who are part of the cast were selected after a rigorous casting process, in which more than 400 artists signed up. The names of those chosen to bring the famous characters to life will be announced soon.
“They will participate in what we, the CHICAGO team, want to be a tribute to theatrical art and, at the same time, an opportunity to bring people together” states actor and producer George Costin.
The choreography is by Cristina Danu and Flavia Mihășan. The costumes are created by Irenne Costin.
“The musical production of the musical Chicago will, in itself, be a premiere in Romania. Let's think about the simple fact that we have the tuba in the orchestration, as a consistent part of a jazz big band structure, of about 15 people, and diametrically we find the violin, piccolo, flute. The very careful observance of the original orchestration requires a special musical production, in which the pressure of a modern, detailed and impactful sound will have to be balanced by the naturalness of the homogeneity of a brass group, playing unamplified in a small jazz club, but also by the elegant sonority , direct, delivered untransformed of a classical music concert. The challenge that the musical Chicago brings is this very attempt to rebalance the proportion between a music concert and a theater performance, between a show and the intimacy of an unamplified performance, between an explosive sound and the natural fragrance of the instruments.” declares Vlad Vedes, the musical director known to the public for shows such as “Mamma Mia”, “Calivia cu Nebune” and “Phantom of the Opera”,
The musical training of the artists, as well as the 14-member orchestra, are coordinated by the musical director Andreea Csibi. “I received George Costin's invitation to be part of the Chicago project with great joy. I am very honored to be able to work with important actors of the Romanian theater scene and at the same time with valuable musicians. Regarding the challenges that this musical brings, I remember two: the first is that of working with a young team – I remember here the ensemble of very talented young dancers, and the second will be the coordination of quite a large number of instrumentalists (14 in total) in the context where in a proportion of 80% the show has a musical support, represented by the accompaniment of live songs, links between scenes and (apparently) simple interventions of various instruments”, adds Andreea Csibi.
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Official Chicago 2024 poster
About Chicago
The musical Chicago, released on Broadway in 1975, is an adaptation of the book written by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse who, in turn, started from the play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins in 1926, inspired by real events. The music is composed by John Kander and the lyrics are written by Fred Ebb.
Director Rob Marshall adapted it for the screen starring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The film is an Oscar winner in 2002.
The musical show Chicago was performed in Romania 17 years ago, with Aurelian Temișan, Monica Davidescu, Anca Țurcașiu and Maia Morgenstern in the cast.
