Chicago the Musical: Live in Manila!

Last week, I got to watch Chicago during its Manila run at The Theatre in Solaire Resort. I watched this musical during a trip I took to London more than a decade ago and I thought it would be good for me to take my mom to see it. Needless to say, it was an amazing show!

The Manila cast featured Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart, Terra MacLeod as Velma Kelley, Jeff McCarthy as Billy Flynn, and Roz Ryan as Mama Morton. Because of that London trip I took back in 2000, I was probably the only one among my friends and relatives who knew about this musical even before the Oscar-winning movie came out in 2002. I didn't initially intend to see it since I didn't know anything about it. However, it was quite heavily advertised when I was there and it was when I was reading a Time Out magazine that I decided I wanted to see it since it boasted of sensational choreography (I'm sure all the advertisements also had an impact). I later found out that Chicago received a Tony nomination for Best Choreography in a Musical in 1976 (losing to A Chorus Line) and it was choreographed by the legendary Bob Fosse. Adjustments to the choreography were made by Ann Reinking. Check out the very popular jazz hands and styling of Fosse in the opening number All That Jazz (performed by Terra MacLeod):

video uploaded in youtube by TheTombRaider94

While I already enjoyed seeing it for the first time, I actually enjoyed it quite more this time around. My mom was also impressed and she said she found it a whole lot more entertaining than the movie. Part of it was probably because the performers sang live incredibly well and their words were so clearly enunciated that you could easily understand what they were singing about. It also helped that the theater had incredible acoustics. We also had a fuller view of the overall stage choreography versus the edited bits and pieces of choreography in the film that were interspersed with close-ups of the cast. It also never fails to blow my mind when I see performers singing and dancing spectacularly well at the same time. During curtain call, we gave the cast a standing ovation, as did many other people in the audience.

The final show in Manila was staged last Sunday, December 21 after a two-week run. I'm happy I was able to see it with my mom. It was also the first time I watched a show in the Solaire Theatre. Cool! I'm guessing it won't be the last.