Gilmer High School Theater’s spring season will go out with a bang when students present the popular stage musical Chicago this weekend.
Shows will be held at the Linda Miller Theater inside the high school at 7 p.m. Friday, May 7; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 8, and a 1 p.m. matinée Sunday, May 9.
A spring musical is often the biggest production of any GHS Theater year, but this may be the first time in which the spring show has turned out to be the academic year’s only official production.
There was no fall show last year, and cancellations befell a planned winter one-act, Goldilocks on Trial, that was originally to be presented in December, then January. James Fuller, GHS theater director, said the Goldilocks comedy was eventually staged, but for family and friends of the cast and not as an official ticketed performance.
Hailed as the longest running American musical in Broadway history, Chicago is famous, and often imitated, for its vibrant song and dance numbers set against a backdrop of the roaring ‘20s.
“When people think of these big, old-school Broadway musicals, this is the kind of show they talk about,” said Fuller. “It is fictionalized, but the story and the characters are based on real murder trials (from that era), so there is some truth in the fiction. To me, it’s an early example of how America has an obsession with murder and fame. It’s basically about a murder trial, but the whole musical is a commentary on the dangers of celebrity and fame.”
Fuller said the 2001 movie adaptation of Chicago was very similar to the stage production. Anyone who’s seen that film will recognize characters like boisterous attorney Billy Flynn and imprisoned leading women Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart.
“Those three are kind of the big trio of characters in the show. In the movie, Richard Gere plays Billy Flynn and that was kind of an iconic role for him. Our Billy Flynn is being played by a female, Jordan Sharp,” said Fuller.
The cast also features Addie Davenport as Velma, Sophie Burnette as Roxie, Rachel Ballew as Mama Morton, Jakob Dobbs as Amos Hart and Chelsea Parker as Mary Sunshine. A cast ensemble features A.J. Parker, Emma Heaslip, Layla Sizemore, Lucas McCoy, Caiden McCoy, Elise Derck, Abbie Flowers, Nick Dombrowski, Cloie Burnell and Jasmine Douglass.
Despite being an elaborate production with plenty of period costumes and stage design, the play actually has a pretty small cast for a musical, Fuller noted.
“I only have one senior in the whole cast, which is extremely unusual. The cast is 15, not including the technical crew. I’ve had (casts) with as many as 25 or 30,” he said.
Fuller said the construction class of GHS teacher Dennis Wilson helped construct some of the show’s set pieces.
“We did a lot of it ourselves, but Mr Wilson definitely helped with a lot of stuff, which he always does,” said Fuller.
“For the Cell Block Tango scene, we actually have jail cells that roll around onstage and are mobile. That was a pretty complicated thing to get done, but it looks really cool. This is also the most complicated lighting I’ve ever had for a show. So many of the numbers are these big ticket kind of (song and dance) numbers, so the light show is very elaborate and complex. There’s just a lot happening and it’s a big monster of a show,” he added.
Tickets for Chicago are $10, and there will be no limitation on the number of tickets sold or changes in how seating is arranged, Fuller noted.
“Our policy for this show is come as you’re comfortable. If you’re comfortable wearing a mask, we want you to wear a mask, but it’s not a requirement. It’s two acts and right at two hours with an intermission. It’s a full show, and I think people will get their money’s worth,” he said.