These are Roxie Hart, Amos Hart, Velma Kelly and Billy Flynn. Billy Flynn is one of the city of Chicago's most effective defense attorneys; he can win any trial and usually represents women who have murdered their lovers. Velma Kelly is one of the main characters in the successful 1975 Broadway musical Chicago. Paul Dano is an actor who can be distant and mystifying. Character from the 1927 play Chicago Billy Flynn (at right) as portrayed by Jerry Orbach in the Broadway adaptation , 1976 Billy Flynn has been a mainstay on the Chicago blues circuit since the mid-80's. In a typical set he'll segue from sophisticated Texas jump blues into raw Delta or postwar-Chicago style sounds. Bob Fosse
The vaudeville is perfect for a caricature of 1920s Chicago, where life seemed to occur exclusively in the seductive smog of jazz bars, and rejecting the moral norms of previous decades wastrs la mode. . This story, lightweight but cheerfully lurid, fueled Bob Fosse, John Kander and Fred Ebb's original stage production of "Chicago," which opened in 1975 and has been playing somewhere or other ever after--since 1997 again on Broadway. Told through a series of vaudeville routines, the story of Chicago begins with Velma Kelly (Chita Rivera) setting the tone and atmosphere of the period with "All That Jazz.". Mazz Murray stuns as Mama Morton at the Phoenix Theatre, London. She is a nave woman with a bad temper. Theatre Owned / Operated by Coronet Theatre Corporation (Lester Osterman and Richard Horner) Produced by Robert Fryer and James Cresson; Produced in association with Martin Richards, Joseph Harris and Ira Bernstein. William Flynn is a fictional character from the 1926 play Chicago, written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, and its various derivative works and remakes. Almost 100 years later, the unwitting moral of this dazzling musical remains pertinent First of all, dont murder men (unless they deserve it)*; and secondly, women are incredibly powerful when we stick together. And yet, Mama Morton (Mazz Murray) and Velma (Josefina Gabrielle) share excellent chemistry and steal the show at the Phoenix when they team up for a rendition of Class. Her best attempts at intelligence are only apparent because her husband, Amos, is dumber than her. Pages 3 Course Hero uses AI to attempt to automatically extract content from documents to surface to you and others so you can study better, e.g., in search results, to enrich docs, and more. The director Rob Marshall, a stage veteran making his big screen debut, paces the film with gusto. And it gets me thinking about several factors that made the repeat viewings worth it. Traditionally in musicals the music is embedded . "The Prince of Darkness", was a narcissistic and prolific serial rapist, robber, abductor, one-time cop killer, and serial-turned-spree killer who appeared in Seasons Five and Six of Criminal Minds. "Chicago" continues the reinvention of the musical that started with "Moulin Rouge." In prison, she develops a rivalry with the star Velma Kelly, who killed her own husband . Though it was practically accidental, the result was a female-driven powerhouse of a musical which culminates in the thrilling alliance of two hardened veterans of showbiz. Nice try extending her 15 minutes of fame, sucker. Theres something alluring about the irreverent way female jazz performances reclaim feminine sexuality and play a part in the subversive culture of jazz and metropolitan life. These are small roles that will be played by members of the chorus and the dance ensemble. Also he could easily be swayed into thinking one way by persuasion only to change his mind upon getting into another persuasion all over again as shown as how he immediately changed his mind into supporting Roxie again. stream She is corrupt in a way that is not so obvious because inmates see first her nurturing side and her manipulative side only later the moment that they needed favors in order to get out of jail or at least be treated nicely in jail itself. Musicals; . As he explains, This trial. She sleeps around unknown to her husband, Amos, but has a falling-out with one of her lovers, shoots him and is arrested for murder. Nothing is taken seriously from the murders to the trials. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!! A topnotch vaudeville performer, Velma Kelly was incarcerated for her murder of her husband and her sister after catching them in bed. While being initially suspicious of Roxies innocence, Billy Flynns persuasion skills eventually influenced the way she covered the case. Roxie, with some help from Amos, ended up getting his services in order to secure her freedom. The movie stars sweet-faced Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart, who kills her lover and convinces her husband to pay for her defense; and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, who broke up her vaudeville sister act by murdering her husband and her sister while they were engaged in a sport not licensed for in-laws. Some things haven't changed indeed. She doesnt have the brain. From Velma Kellys cry, No, Im no ones wife but, oh, I love my life! in All that Jazz, to hers and Roxie Harts climatic closing duet Nowadays, its a score that relishes in womens liberation. Through the characters nave faith in the glitz of fame, coupled with lawyer Billy Flynns (Richard Gere) impressive courtroom tap dancing (and casual objectification of women), the film makes a clear comparison between showbiz and the legal system. THIS FEATURE IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PRO MEMBERS. She was known for having a performing act with her sister Veronica, but she killed her husband and her sister after finding them together. Sarcastic, sexy, tough, funny. . November 16, 2022 2:39PM. And even folks who never attended law school can tell how he managed to defend Roxie Hart. She can manage everything inside of the County Jail. Movies. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! We stand wi, "Beginning is at once a masterful composition of observational comedy, and an incredibly moving commentary on moder, Misinformation and lack of knowledge often turn our bodily fluids into a taboo. In case productions are about to come in your area, you get to read it here. . It's surprising to see the confidence in his singing and dancing, until you find out he was in musicals all through school. She herself shows a certain genius in the process, as when she dramatically reveals she is pregnant with Amos' child, a claim that works only if nobody in the courtroom can count to nine. Next up for Lane is his return to the long-running Broadway revival of "Chicago," where he plays lawyer Billy Flynn. In rare cases, such as Roxie Hart's, he will take a discount rate in exchange for a cut of proceeds from selling ephemera and media rights fees related to the case. She killed her husband with a shotgun because he popped his gum. It features Billy Flynn, the corrupt lawyer Roxie Hart, as he attempts to turn her trial into a media circus. The reason is that it isn't about Roxie. In the end he manages to get Roxie acquitted, largely on account of turning the trial into a media circus. Billy Flynn became a lawyer for two reasons: a) the money, and b) because people are schmucks, as easily fooled as children.Living at the top of 1920s Chicago society. The movie stars sweet-faced Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart, who kills her lover and convinces her husband to pay for her defense; and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, who broke up her vaudeville sister act by murdering her husband and her sister while they were engaged in a sport not licensed for in-laws. That way, he ended up becoming a tool for everyone to exploit. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for Billy Flynn from Chicago. Results may vary. I just realized how several versions of All That Jazz, Funny Honey and Razzle Dazzle sung outside the Hollywood really got me thinking about this hit musical. Main Players/Characters. Chicago.docx - Aristotle's analytical model puts the plot. A vaudeville is a light, comic number, combining music and pantomime to entertain - but not to educate, or suggest a lesson in morality. Innocent, sexy, desperate, selfish. In the musical, Flynn sings three songs. Definitely the kind of lawyer you would hire because his antics can work to your, hes worth the money paid. Nationality. Trending. But if these songs are used well to push a story forward and introduce a set of dynamic characters that you can relate with, then youre rest assured of reruns that would last decades just like what happened in Chicago. Prior to Mike & Molly, Gardell was known for playing another cop - Jeff Hoyne - on My Name Is Earl and is currently starring in another Chuck Lorre sitcom, Bob Hearts . He makes it interesting. She is an aspiring actress who gets into trouble with the law after murdering a man she was having an affair with and enlists the help of Billy Flynn to get her out of jail and into spotlight as a star She was portrayed by Gwen Verdon in the 1975 musical, and by Rene Zellweger in its 2002 film adaptation . Roxie was only too happy to turn her down as she was just returning the favor. You can like the life youre living, you can live the life you like; you can even marry Harry or mess around with Ike, Roxie and Velma sing, all the while suggesting that they wont be tricked into dependence on HarryorIke. Jan. 18, 2016. He has blue eyes and brown hair. New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists, See more characters from
"All I Care About (is Love)" serves as Flynn's jingle, in which the crooner claims not to care about wealth or materialism and works for his love of women (later revealed to be a complete lie), "They Both Reached For The Gun (The Press Conference Rag)" serves as a ventriloquist act with a call-and-response between Billy's "dummy" Roxie and the press, and "Razzle Dazzle" (a champagnesque piece with what Jerry Orbach described as "Brechtian subtlety"[1]) serves as the explanation of Flynn's modus operandi: make the case a distraction so that the jury loses attention. And she found a way to make a bad situation work out for her like realizing how she can be the toast of the town despite being in jail which brings us to the next factor that made this musical such a hit. Teachers are striking - and its about time. Roxie has several press . However, when Roxie additionally ends up in jail, Billy goes up against her case too - transforming her into a . At least, in Chicago The Musical, there are song-and-dance numbers around. The foreigner. Flynn wasn't pink-slipped. Roxie Hart is the main protagonist of the musical Chicago and all of its adaptations. There is a story. The show takes place in Chicago, Illinois in the 1 920s. For Fosse, the Chicago of Roxie Hart supplied the perfect peg to hang his famous hat. The decision to use non-singers and non-dancers is always controversial in musicals, especially in these days when big stars are needed to headline expensive productions. Nor about Billy Flynn. Otherwise, she is at best Flynns puppet because being a lawyer includes teaching your client what to say to the media and in court. Join the StageAgent community
The introductory number of Billy Flynn is a dreamy number that showcases how the sensational lawyer gets the job done and pleases his clients. Define Your Character's Role in the Work You're Analyzing. So does "Chicago," and Barrett can offer a reason. Roxie is not very bright and never thinks about Congratulations are in order for Days of Our Lives fave Billy Flynn (Chad) and his wife, actress Gina Comparetto. Best known as the best lawyer in all Chicago, Illinois. The movie doesn't update the musical so much as bring it to a high electric streamlined gloss. Show Guides. He is genuinely polite and determined despite being rather selfish and in the cases for himself. Upgrade to PRO
But when Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger) also winds up in prison, Billy takes on her case as well - turning her into a media circus of headlines. Billy will take any case as long as it is sure to put money in his pocket. Kelly is an aloof nightclub singer/vaudevillian of the 20's, who plays sensationalist musical numbers at the jazz nightclub "The Onyx" in Chicago.