YP’s ‘Chicago’ is impressive

September 12, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

By MILAN PAURICH

YOUNGSTOWN

Even though John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Chicago” is widely acknowledged as one of the great modern American musicals, I’ve never truly loved it.

Not the original Broadway production directed by Bob Fosse, which put me to sleep during a 1975 New York high-school trip. Not the stripped-down ’90s revival. And certainly not the Oscar-winning 2002 movie version, which always struck me as supremely overrated.

Besides the fact that the show peaks prematurely with its signature— and best — song (“All That Jazz”), I couldn’t really warm up to the characters who simply aren’t very likable. Plus, the overstated cynicism of Ebb and Fosse’s hard-boiled book never endeared me, either.

The most surprising thing about director/ choreographer David Jendre’s Youngstown Playhouse production of “Chicago” that opened to an ecstatic, sold-out house Friday night is how unexpectedly good Kander and Ebb’s score sounded.

Maybe I just hadn’t heard “Mr. Cellophane,” “Razzle Dazzle” or “Nowadays” sung by truly gifted vocalists before. While I still detected a palpable chill in the air (“Chicago” never was, and never will be a particularly warm musical), I was so impressed by the artful precision of Jendre and assistant director/choreographer Paul Ryan Byrne’s painstakingly realized dance routines — and by the dazzling procession of singing and dancing talent — that I began developing a little crush on the show before Act 1 was even over.

Not only does the YP “Chicago” look (and sound) drop-dead gorgeous thanks to Cherie Stebner’s chic, sleek costuming and musical director Don Yallech’s nonpareil (13-member) orchestra, the show has a more propulsive energy than I remember from any previous version. And in the knockout, take-no-prisoners performances of Kayla M. Boye and Natalia Lepore Hagan, two potential musical comedy stars are born.

As kewpie-doll chorine wannabe Roxie Hart, adorable YSU sophomore Boye reminded me of the young Shirley MacLaine (high praise indeed), and makes everything she does—acting, singing and dancing — seem positively effortless. Hagan brings the leonine grace of a born dancer to vixenish hoofer Velma Kelly and owns the stage like a lifelong gypsy. Although Brian Palumbo impresses more as a singer than actor as slickster attorney Billy Flynn, his boyish spin on the role still works beautifully. Donna Huntley brings such sensuality, elegance and authority to Matron Mama Morton that you can’t take your eyes off her. Professional scene-stealer Jason Green is so phenomenally good as Roxie’s cuckolded hubby Amos that you start imagining a revisionist “Chicago” where Amos is the lead.

I also was impressed at how every indefatigable member of Jendre’s fantastic ensemble looks and moves like an actual dancer (not always the case in even the best musicals). Special kudos to Molly Makselan and Top Hat regular Angel Febres who make every second of stage time matter.

Even with some opening night lighting glitches — the spotlights seemed to have a hard time keeping up with the dancers — this is an extraordinarily impressive production of a show that I’d pretty much written off. If Jendre could make me rethink my bias against “Chicago,” imagine what he could do with “Cats.”

“Chicago” runs through Sept. 19 at the Youngstown Playhouse. For reservations, call 330-788-8739.