“Chicago” Musical Examines Media Manipulation and Celebrity Culture in Philadelphia Run

Broadway’s “Chicago” Brings Murder, Media Manipulation to Philadelphia

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization are bringing Broadway’s iconic musical “Chicago” to Philadelphia’s Forrest Theatre for a limited engagement from May 12-17, offering local audiences a chance to experience one of America’s longest-running Broadway productions.

Set in 1920s Cook County Jail, the musical follows the intertwining stories of Velma Kelly, a vaudeville performer, and Roxie Hart, a chorus girl, both imprisoned for murder. Rather than accepting their fates, the women leverage their notoriety, manipulating publicity and the justice system to their advantage.

Claire Marshall, who stars as Velma Kelly in the upcoming production, acknowledges both the challenge and freedom of stepping into such an iconic role.

“It can be intimidating at first, of course, knowing how many iconic women have played Velma,” Marshall explained. “But I think there’s also some comfort in that because there’s really no wrong way to approach the role, being that it’s been done so many different ways.”

While the script remains unchanged since the show’s creation, Marshall finds space to incorporate her own comedic sensibilities. “There are different ways to approach the comedy of Velma,” she said. “There’s a way to make her very dry and blunt, and that is my humor anyway.”

The production, with its Bob Fosse-inspired choreography rooted in burlesque traditions, explores themes of gender expression and sexual politics that feel remarkably contemporary despite the Prohibition-era setting. Marshall highlights how the musical examines how characters navigate and manipulate gender roles.

“It’s awesome to be part of a show that is set in the ’20s and basically has a drag queen in it,” Marshall noted, referring to the character Mary Sunshine. “It’s interesting to see how they use their femininity or don’t use their femininity to get what they want, and they’re using a man as their lawyer to further that plot.”

The production features choreography performed uniformly across genders, creating what Marshall describes as “a sense of androgyny within the ensemble” that transcends traditional gender expectations. This approach has helped “Chicago” maintain its strong connection with LGBTQ+ audiences over the decades.

“Even though this story isn’t inherently a queer story at all, I think anyone who has met the cast knows that it’s a queer story,” Marshall observed.

Beyond its entertainment value, “Chicago” delivers biting social commentary on media manipulation, fame obsession, and the justice system—themes that have arguably become more relevant in today’s social media landscape than they were during the show’s 1975 debut or even the 1920s era it depicts.

“The themes of manipulating the media and working your way through the justice system—manipulating it also—are very relevant still today,” Marshall emphasized. “I’m hoping, I’m begging audiences to still see that and not just look at the, if I should quote the show, ‘razzle dazzle’ of it all.”

Marshall draws direct parallels between the show’s themes and current issues surrounding media manipulation and public perception. “I want them to see what’s really going on and understand the themes of manipulation and doing whatever it takes to be famous, to get what you want because, again, that is awfully relevant still today, 50 years later, 30 years later, 100 years later.”

She connects these themes to contemporary concerns about misinformation and social media personas: “Social media is a very easy way to show one part of yourself without having to fact-check anything. And we’re seeing that in larger forms of media, too. Everything relating to fake news; I mean, they would’ve loved that in the ’20s.”

The production brings the classic Kander and Ebb score to Philadelphia, featuring iconic songs like “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” and “Razzle Dazzle” that have become firmly embedded in American musical theater culture.

“Chicago” runs May 12-17 at the Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. Ticket information is available at ensembleartsphilly.org.