Opening day: Oct. 19, 2018

Closing Day: Nov. 4, 2018

Director: Celia Potter

Starring: Taylor Paine/Gaby Hernandez (Velma Kelly), Natasha Benzadon/Ashley Blum (Roxie Hart), Scarlett Sanchez (Matron Mama Morton), Ezra Griedinger/Paul Tuaty (Billy Flynn), Ethan Rousso (Amos Hart)

Our Rating: A+

This high school rendition of the Broadway musical, “Chicago,” follows the story and plot of the original work. “Chicago” takes place in the 1920’s and follows the life of Velma Kelly, Roxie Hart as well as their journey through the corrupted justice system as they await their trials. Under the surface, “Chicago” has a deeper meaning such as the sexism that was present in the system. “Chicago” is one of the longest running shows on Broadway and it drew inspiration from the case of Beulah Annan’s murdering of her boyfriend in 1926. The musical begins with the arrest of Velma Kelly while simultaneously displaying Hart’s affair with Fred Casely which ends in his death. The rest of the plot develops through a combination of musical numbers and dialogue.

“Prior to this, I had never seen a high school production of a Broadway musical. Everyone did amazing and the singing gave me goosebumps. The cast left me wanting to watch the show again once it ended,” junior Lia Rodriguez said.

In Miami Children’s Theater’s rendition, the entire production lasted approximately two hours including a fifteen-minute intermission. They incorporated most of the iconic songs, like “Cell Block Tango,” as well as certain dance numbers from the original with some of their own choreography mixed in. The costumes they used greatly resembled the ones used in the original show, so the audience feels as if they were watching the actual Broadway performance. They met and exceeded all expectations in their recreation of the classic musical.

“The director was on the Broadway National Tour of Chicago. The show really brought me back to doing what I love. You see all the work put into the show pay off and see how crazy effortless it looks on stage,” sophomore McCall Horton said.

All the actors involved suited their characters and portrayed them accurately.  The actors are strong singers who effectively conveyed the emotions of the song and the moment. Another aspect of it was their use of lighting that also contributed to the way they performed “Chicago.” With every scene, there was a change in lighting to fit the performance and musical renditions. At certain points, the microphones would give feedback or stop working altogether. Even with these issues, the actors accommodated and carried out the rest of the show, raising their voices when they sang and speaking loudly to ensure the audience could hear them.

The Miami Children’s Theater’s last performance will be Sunday, Nov 4, at their Kendall location. The execution of the entire performance was phenomenal and presented itself like its original. All the characters had an amazing portrayal and it never lacked the energy the show required. I recommend it to anyone that likes musicals or enjoys theatrical performances.