Friday, May 31, 2019
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
The FX miniseries “Fosse/Verdon” – a behind the scenes look at Broadway power couple Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon – came to an end Tuesday night, which made Wednesday a good time to see their masterpiece, “Chicago.”
Millennial Theater Company’s production of the hit musical just happened to open that night, which is fortuitous timing – even if the heightened attention raised expectations.
As the area’s newest theater company, Millennial appears eager to make a name for itself and loves to tackle the big measure-up musicals.
On opening night, Millennial succeeded in capturing the spirit, the look, and most importantly, the “Fosse” of “Chicago.”
The venue is spacious Ford Family Recital Hall, which can have a clarity-killing airiness if the microphones aren’t right. Distortion was a problem, especially in the first half.
The bar is always high for “Chicago,” but Millennial did manage to overcome a wobbly start and the sound flaws. By the time “Razzle Dazzle” lawyer Billy Flynn (confidently played by Landon Talbert) took the stage, the show found its legs and started to roll.
The twin engines of “Chicago” are the starry-eyed and sweetly cunning team of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, played by Rosie Bresson and Rachel Ruggieri, respectively. Bresson and Ruggieri delivered everything you could ask for, but as good as they were as triple-threat actors, they were even greater than the sum of their parts.
The two other major roles, Matron Mamma Morton (Sydney Thomas, great voice) and Amos Hart (Tylor Zuniga, winningly sympathetic as a poor sap) also made the most of their scenes. So did T. Hanes as sob sister reporter Mary Sunshine, who delivered a surprise that you’ll have to see for yourself.
Millennial’s production was just a tad more basic than most: black and white, spotlights and smoke, chairs and feathers, and nothing more. And by the way, the eight-piece ensemble on that traditional “Chicago” set sounded great. Ford hall is definitely made for music.
The ensemble scenes, where the Fosse-Verdon choreography is most on display, managed the trademark moves just sharply enough, including those shoulder dips of “All that Jazz” and the controlled chaos of Billy Flynn’s press conference with his “puppet,” Roxie Hart.
“Chicago” will continue at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday. Go to youngstownsymphony.com or call 330-744-0264.