'Chicago' takes center stage as Wheaton Drama closes season
A young socialite slinks up the stairs in her black T-strap heels, playfully gliding her hand along the railing as she goes.
Then, after riddling her husband, Harry, and his two mistresses with bullets, she finds herself the center of more than her share of media attention.
Reporters surround her with invisible pens and pads of paper ready. Her lawyer, Billy Flynn, tries to approach her. She bites him.
"What does your mom say about this?" one reporter's voice rises above the rest.
"STOP!" Craig Gustafson, the director shouts, bringing the action to an abrupt halt. "I like Julie's question," a castmember says, laughing.
She likes it because she gets the irony - the young socialite, Jessica Orozco, is the reporter's daughter in real life, and the two are cast together as floozies in Wheaton Drama Inc.'s production of the musical "Chicago," which opened Friday and continues on weekends through June 20 at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St. in downtown Wheaton. Due to adult content, it's probably best to not make this show a family affair.
Set in the prohibition era, when the law was just a piece of paper and people did their best to get away with anything and everything, "Chicago" is about two murderesses obsessed with fame, clinging to their high falutin' and unquestionably crooked lawyer, Billy Flynn - a slick cat out to make a buck on pretty ladies looking for a get-out-of-jail-free card.
The Tony Award-winning musical is based on the 1926 play "Chicago" by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a Chicago Tribune reporter inspired by real-life murder trials. It's brought us iconic songs such as "All that Jazz," "Razzle Dazzle," "Mr. Cellophane" and "Cell Block Tango," as well as a Broadway show and an Oscar-winning movie in 2002.
Roxie Hart, played by Heather Miller, lives in the shadows of famous cabaret singer Velma Kelly, played by Julie Bayer, and she doesn't like it. After a couple lying schemes and cheap tricks win her the sympathy of the masses, her ego gets a little too big.
In the end, Roxy winds up being just a "flash in the pan," a "phony celebrity" as Flynn, played by Garrett Ard, puts it, and the media sharks move on to the next big paper-seller.
During a recent rehearsal, it became apparent Bayer's facial expressions alone could tell the murderess' story. She is animated and passionate, reacting to each and every one of Roxy's screwups and low-blows. You can see Velma's fury come out in Bayer's eyes. Miller does an outstanding job of playing the ditsy victim, and the women make a showstopping pair with their vocals.
It's obvious Gustafson paid attention to every back slap, foot placement and hand gesture made by each of the characters, really forcing the snarky, satirical side of the musical to come out and play.
The set is done in an art-deco style with a blue, black and silver color scheme. It features a two-tiered stage with stairs going up on each side and revolving panels to set the scenes.
Gustafson said he wanted to restore "Chicago" back to its "ode to vaudeville" style. He called for color, lots of color, unlike the Broadway revival done all in black.
Knowing "Chicago" is Orozco's absolute favorite show, Julie Rogers-Baker refused to let her daughter pass up the opportunity to audition. Out of 76 people, Orozco was one of only 17 cast.
Gustafson said he chose the best of the best.
"Nobody gets in on family connections," he said.
Orozco may be taking the stage for the first time, but her mom has been acting all her life. Orozco spent her youth and high school years participating in sports and cheerleading, not allowing much time for theater.
During college, though, she wanted to be more involved, so her mom roped her into theater. She began stage managing last summer for "City of Angels" and has had a hand in every Wheaton Drama show since.
"It's kind of in my blood I guess, but I've never really done anything with it until now," Orozco said.
Orozco started sitting in the audience of her mother's shows long before her feet could even touch the floor.
"The first show I remember I started crying because in the scene my mom was crying," she said.
The family's involvement in theater goes way back. Rogers-Baker's parents were in theater and her grandmother was even a vaudevillian. She also said her father is a published playwright.
"I've been in it all my life and she's been exposed to it all her life," Rogers-Baker said.
As if to complete the family theater circle, Rogers-Baker's husband is a part-time stand-up comedian and her 7-year-old son is enrolled in acting classes at Wheaton Drama this summer, which his sister will help run.
Rogers-Baker says juggling theater with Little League can be hectic, but they all support each other. Orozco even volunteers to baby-sit and said balancing theater with work and school is all worth it.
"(Wheaton Drama) is a great theater to work for because everyone is like a family," she said. "I loved (acting) and I'll do it again."
Tickets are $21 Fridays through Sundays and $18 on Thursdays. Visit wheatondrama.org, or call (630) 260-1820 for details.
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<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>If you go</b></p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>What:</b> Wheaton Drama Inc. presents "Chicago"</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>When:</b> 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays through June 20 </p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Where: </b>Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St., Wheaton</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Cost:</b> $21 Fridays to Sundays, $18 Thursdays</p>
<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://wheatondrama.org" target="new">wheatondrama.org</a></p>
<p class="News"><b>'Chicago' cast</b></p>
<p class="News">Velma Kelly: Julie Bayer</p>
<p class="News">Roxie Hart: Heather Miller</p>
<p class="News">Fred Casely/Harry: Mark Mocarski</p>
<p class="News">Sgt. Fogarty/Jury: Harrison Ashley</p>
<p class="News">Amos Hart: Jaime Sandoval</p>
<p class="News">Liz: Angela DeMarco</p>
<p class="News">Annie: Sara Malloy</p>
<p class="News">June: Nicole Dizon</p>
<p class="News">Hunyak: Jennifer Ciombor</p>
<p class="News">Mona: Julie Rogers-Baker</p>
<p class="News">Martin Harrison/Tailor: Daniel Scobey</p>
<p class="News">Matron: Reneisha Jenkins</p>
<p class="News">Billy Flynn: Garrett Ard</p>
<p class="News">Mary Sunshine: E.L. Dusanek</p>
<p class="News">Kitty: Jessica Orozco</p>
<p class="News">Aaron: Kenny King</p>
<p class="News">The Judge/Master of Ceremonies: Keith Laug </p>