Running from April 30 to May 2, Shorewood Drama performed their rendition of Chicago. Chicago is a musical set in the 1920s focusing on two dancers, Roxie and Velma, who have both been imprisoned for violent crimes. Desperate to both be acquitted and gain city-wide fame, they both hire Billy Flynn, a devious criminal defense lawyer to twist their tales of murder into frontpage headlines and gain public sympathy.
The show is extremely reliant on dance skills, energy, and great chemistry between leads Roxie and Velma. The show is difficult to produce at even the highest levels of theater, but SHS drama participants were eager to take on the challenge.
The show starred seniors Ellie Christian and Meera Antigua as Roxie and Velma respectively. Additionally, it showcased Dimitri Fortier, junior, as Billy Flynn.
“Chicago has been my dream show for…six years,” Antigua said. “I’ve been studying this specific style of dance, which is [called] Fosse, named after the icon Bob Fosse, for the past three years. So it’s been a long time coming. I begged Sheaffer to do it since my freshman year, so getting to actually perform in the show and take on the role of Velma Kelly was really special.”
Christain noted that the show stood out as a great end to her Shorewood Drama experience.
“I started doing theater in third grade,” Christian said. “The first time I ever performed was on that stage, and the last time I ever performed here was on that stage, so it was really surreal and really emotional. But also so rewarding in the end, because I’ve never been the lead of a show.”
In addition to the work done by the cast, the tech crew contributed massively to the production. Led by Brad Brist, they designed a stacked set, with each step holding members of the pit orchestra. Christian added that they were irreplaceable for the atmosphere and quality of the show.
“Honestly, in my opinion, [the set] was just as good as a Broadway production,” Christian said. “I had so much hope and so much faith in everyone, and it was such a beautiful show.”
Antigua pointed out that this musical stood out for its unique dance elements. Chicago contains many songs that utilize a large ensemble, and when combined with a unique set design, made to accommodate an onstage pit orchestra, created an interesting challenge for the dancers.
“To do a dance show, especially on Broadway and in real life, you have to be a triple threat,” Antigua said. I think it’s very important to teach people wanting to go into theater to be able to pull [Chicago] off. It’s so ensemble heavy, and it really is the full team working together.”
One of the aspects of preparing for a play is getting into character. Fortier highlighted his unique experience in understanding Billy Flynn. It challenged his acting skills, but Fortier says he wholly enjoyed the experience.
“For me, it was an unusual process,” Fortier said. “Billy Flynn is a type of character that I’ve never played before, so it was outside of my usual practices, but in its newness, it was exciting. As sort of an exercise, I actually watched videos of lawyers, politicians and other slimy people.”
Fortier believed that Shorewood’s rendition of Chicago surpassed his standards. Maintaining the traditional storyline was a contributor to this.
“I absolutely think it [lived up to the expectations],” Fortier said. “I think usually with Shorewood High School shows we stray from the normal path, but I think with Chicago we stuck very close to the original, and I was very happy with the result.”
During the rehearsal process and the performance itself, challenges can arise that the performers need to overcome. These instances can create both physical and mental strain on performers.
“I was injured during the whole week of performances, which was really tough,” Antigua said. “I was injured for the two weeks and the week before as well. As a dancer, you’ve got so much pressure because, at the end of the day, if I don’t have my leg to kick, I really have nothing. It was really hard for me to just trust my body to be able to push through.”
This year is Dr. Sheaffer’s last as the Drama director at Shorewood, and Chicago was the final piece he directed. Fortier noted that although there’s some mystery for the future, he is interested in what’s to come for Shorewood Drama.
“I’m a little bit apprehensive,” Fortier said. “I think I welcome new beginnings, but it’ll certainly be a big shift. I’m excited to hear what the shows are for next year, we don’t know yet.”
Although this is the end for Antigua and Christian’s time at Shorewood, it isn’t the end of their time in theater. Both plan to continue their drama careers in college.
“I’m going to Northwestern University for theater, which is one of the top five theater programs in the United States,” Antigua said. “Northwestern really sets you up for success. It’s big on networking, as well as growing in the four disciplines of theater.”
“I’m going to DC, it’s called the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC,” Christian said. “I’m going to be majoring in New School Theater. I want to add a minor vocal performance, so I can continue singing and writing songs, and probably put out some albums. I just want to perform.”