“Chicago” will be at the Benedum Center starting March 10 and continuing through March 15.<\/p>\n
A flick of the wrist, a tip of the hat, elbows snapping into right angles and fingers flaring apart- the musical \u201cChicago\u201d pulses with choreography inspired by Bob Fosse\u2019s signature style, commanding attention from the moment the curtain rises.<\/p>\n
The longest-running American musical revival in Broadway history arrives at Pittsburgh\u2019s Benedum Center on Tuesday and runs through March 15. A timeless tale of ambition and deceit set in the 1920s, \u201cChicago\u201d reminds audiences that there\u2019s nothing new under the sun when it comes to celebrity, crime and media manipulation. The stripped-down staging of this version of \u201cChicago\u201d favors precision over props, giving the production an edge that makes it feel as relevant today as it may have been in the 1920s.<\/p>\n
Becoming Velma Kelly<\/p>\n
Velma Kelly, a vaudeville headliner who loves the limelight, finds herself in the middle of a scandal, attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. With a sharp tongue and cutting humor, Kelly is calculating and as desperate to manage the media machine as fiercely as her rival Roxie Hart.<\/p>\n
Claire Marshall, a Californian with a degree in musical theater and dance from Missouri State University, graduated in 2024 and moved quickly into the professional ranks. In the fall of 2024, she landed a part in \u201cThe Cher Show.\u201d Not long after, she accepted the role of Velma in \u201cChicago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marshall auditioned for the tour last spring and immediately connected with the character. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe is smart and she likes to plan. She is also a very funny storyteller,\u201d said Marshall, adding that she can be unpredictable. \u201cShe has all the time in the world in her jail cell to come up with plans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Performing in a legacy show<\/p>\n
Marshall said that the heat was on when it came to performing in a legacy show like \u201cChicago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can be scary filling those shoes, but I appreciate the opportunity to put my own spin on things. Velma is so witty and exciting,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
The physical demands are equally as formidable. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Fosse choreography alone is no joke,\u201d Marshall pointed out. \u201cWe have to do everything all at once.\u201d<\/p>\n
To maintain stamina for the intense dancing, acting and vocals, Marshall has developed a gym routine that includes elliptical training and weightlifting. \u201cYou have to find balance and it\u2019s gotten easier over time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Playing against Roxie<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to the dynamic between Velma and Roxie, my director told me that Velma is smart and Roxie is lucky,\u201d said Marshall, adding that the rug is pulled out from under Velma quite a bit but she survives it through emotional control, grit and a refusal to surrender.<\/p>\n
Staying power<\/p>\n
\u201cChicago\u201d has been an audience favorite since its debut in 1975. Marshall believes that its longevity lies in its relevance. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting to see the story through the media lens and the power they have to shape stories,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
What surprises audiences, according to Marshall, is its minimalist staging. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe rely less on props, but we have a band that is onstage the entire show and the lighting is just beautiful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That alchemy has carried \u201cChicago\u201d to 36 countries, where it has been seen by 33 million people worldwide.<\/p>\n
For anyone who longs to perform in a Broadway musical, Marshall\u2019s advice is to remain true to oneself. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere are infinite numbers of ways to play roles; don\u2019t let anyone try to put you in a box,\u201d she said, adding that it\u2019s important to seize the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cSay yes to everything and it will open up a world of opportunities,\u201d according to Marshall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“Chicago” will be at the Benedum Center starting March 10 and continuing through March 15. A flick of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131300,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[22695,8590,17641,73,75,74],"class_list":{"0":"post-131299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pittsburgh","8":"tag-benedum-center","9":"tag-chicago","10":"tag-musical","11":"tag-pittsburgh","12":"tag-pittsburgh-headlines","13":"tag-pittsburgh-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131299","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131299"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131299\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131299"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131299"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131299"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}