Chicago the Musical on Broadway
This post includes our review and plot summary for Chicago the Musical, seating chart for the Ambassador Theater as well as our price analysis of the best websites to purchase tickets from (click here to go directly to tickets).
It is said that we all have our 15 minutes of fame, and many of us, frankly, strive for them. And we all have them, no matter how. However, some people love it so very much that they’ll do anything (and I mean ANYTHING) to prolong it even a little bit more. Just like Roxie Hart, who turned her trial in a Jazz Age mix of a soap opera and a reality show.
“Chicago” is a Broadway icon. Based on a real-life trial from mid 20s Chicago. It is the second longest-running show on Broadway (second to only “The Phantom of the Opera”), since its revival in 1996 in Richard Rodgers Theatre, then moved to Ambassador Theatre in 2003. The original run was between 1975 and 1977, again in Richard Rogers. The music is by John Kander, the lyric — by Fred Ebb, who also wrote the book along with Bob Fosse. Fosse was responsible for the choreography of the original production.
“Chicago” has made probably the most successful transition from the stage to the big screen. The 2002 movie, starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere won six Academy Awards in 2003!
Plot summary
As mentioned above — “Chicago” is a story of the spotlight but also about the fight for it. Cellmates Velma and Roxie engage in a bloodthirsty battle — Velma is the grizzled veteran, aiming in a career in vaudeville. Roxie is the fresh, motivated, and unscrupulous rookie, thirsty for cheap fame. She doesn’t hesitate to steal it all from everyone just to add a minute to her passing 15 minutes of fame.
Chicago the Musical Review of Act I
We’re greeted by Velma Kelly — vaudevillian and narrator of the show, who is about to tell us the story of Roxie Hart — an ordinary chorus girl, who has just murdered Fred Casely, her lover. She convinces her husband Amos Hart, that Fred was a burglar and that he should take the blame. However, he abandons the plan when he gets to know the name of the victim, and Roxie is thrown in Cook County Jail. There she meets lots of women, sharing her ambitions (including Velma and Mama Morton), who introduce themselves and their stories with one of the most iconic music numbers in Broadway history.
Roxie asks Amos for a top-ranking lawyer — Billy Flynn, who agrees to defend her in exchange for making the trail a media circus. He rearranges the case and along with his associate — tabloid columnist Mary Sunshine tries to sell proceeds in an auction. He takes control of Roxie’s press conference, giving the media a new version of what happened. This turns Roxie into Chicago’s hottest celebrity (the first reality star?), and she’s an object of huge media interest for a while, but she’s soon overshadowed by a new case of a crime of passion. Meanwhile, she turns down some offers for “collaboration” with Velma. Being overshadowed by someone fresh and new, Roxie comes up with the “brilliant” (?) idea of being pregnant in prison.
Chicago the Musical Review of Act II
Roxie manages to seduce a doctor by stating that she is pregnant, which makes Velma jealous, Amos proud, and Billy suspicious. He states that Roxie and Amos haven’t slept together for more than four months and Amos is not the child’s father, trying to push the poor husband to divorce Roxie in order to add pepper to the whole story and taking the role of the villain. Velma tries to get some of Billy’s time, but it’s all dedicated to Roxie, thus increasing her resentment for the young inmate. Meanwhile, Roxie fires Billy but re-hires him when a fellow inmate gets hanged. At the end of the heated trail, Billy gets Roxie acquitted, but the press is dragged toward a new, spicier crime. Billy leaves, and so does Roxie’s fame. Amos tries to take her home, but she leaves him for dead, telling him that she’s not pregnant.
The final scene takes place in some vaudevillian theatre in Chicago, where the unlikely duo of Roxie and Velma sings about modern life. And to make the unlikely duo a trio — they are promoted by Mary Sunshine, who turns out to be a man in drag.
“Chicago” is iconic on so many levels. The revival won the stunning SIX Tony Awards on the 1997 ceremony, including Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Bebe Neuwirth (as Roxie), and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for Joel Grey. The tape won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 1998. This speaks in a high volume of the musical numbers of the show. You simply don’t need words to describe “Cell Block Tango”, but it has its worthy competitors in “All That Jazz”, “I Know a Girl” and “Razzle Dazzle”.
The acting is on par. The latest cast included Erika Jayne as Roxie, Amra-Faye Wright as Velma, Paulo Szot as Billy Flynn, and Raymond Bokhour as Amos. All of them are bright actors, perfectly playing their roles, perfectly fitting the huge shoes, left to them by their predecessors.
Chicago the Musical — Seating Chart (Ambassador Theater)
Ambassador theatre is the current Broadway home of “Chicago”. Located on 219 West 49th Street, it can seat around 1,100 guests. The venue is divided in three sections — orchestra, front and rear mezzanine. Despite being around for since ’96, the show is still running as strong as ever, and tickets should be purchased as early as possible.
Chicago the Musical — Ticket Availability and Prices
Best websites to purchase tickets for Chicago the Musical
There are a few primary and secondary verified websites that sell (and resell) tickets for Chicago on Broadway. Our analysis shows that your best bet is to purchase from the websites that specialize strictly in Broadway discounted tickets such as Broadway Pass (lowest prices) and Telecharge. Ticket prices typically start as low as $59 plus service fees.
If you prefer to purchase tickets in person we recommend going directly to the Ambassador Theater box office or to the Broadway Pass box office in the theater district.
Ticket Price Analytics
The most often asked questions about buying tickets for this show is when and where to buy from. We used data for more than 200 performances for Chicago and analyzed the lowest prices over time. To get the best prices for Chicago the Musical, try to buy your tickets at least 2 days before the show start from the primary market (Broadway Pass, Telecharge or the box office).
As you get closer to the start of the performance, the inexpensive tickets are typically sold out and you will be left with more expensive options only. This is true for both the resale and the primary (box office) market.
The most active sales period starts about a day before the performance begins and it peaks at approximately 6 hours before the start. In the few hours before start, typically around 300 tickets are sold to the public.
If you wait until the last minute, the show is likely to be sold out. Typically you will find only about 20 tickets available and these will be at (often significantly) higher prices.
Conclusion
Spicy, sexy, bold, and provocative, this is “Chicago”! Still highly-sought and loved by fans and critics alike, more than 24 years after its debut! Its masterful storytelling, intrigue, and character relations secured the success of the show on both stage and screen. One thing is certain — that all that jazz will remain forever a cult classic!
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