Light Opera Society of Tralee’s Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse is coming to Siamsa Tire, Tralee for four performances only from Wednesday to Saturday, March 6th to 9th.
Set in roaring 20s Chicago, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins about real-life criminals and actual crimes she reported on during her career as a newspaper court reporter. A story of greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery – just about everything we hold dear in life – it is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice.

Light Opera Society of Tralee’s (LOST) production is again designed and directed by Grainne O’ Carroll who’s previous shows for LOST have included box-office smash hits Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, EVITA, West Side Story and Little Shop of Horrors. Grainne has again teamed up with choreographer Katrina Galvin from Miltown, a 1st Honours graduate of UL who will shortly relocate to London where she will be represented by the famous Pineapple Studios. Lighting design is by John Hurley while Musical Direction is in the very capable hands of maestro Aidan O’ Carroll, who conducts the onstage orchestra and for the first time ever, actually gets to have a few lines of script.
The super-talented cast is led by Clodagh Harrington as Velma Kelly. Clodagh from Tralee has previously created the roles of Evita. The enormously versatile Katrina Galvin not only choreographed the show but is also playing the leading role of Roxy Hart. Amos Hart is played by veteran James Brennan while Mary Sunshine is played by none other than the show’s director Grainne O’ Carroll. Billy Flynn the slick, ultra self-confidant defender is played by Marcus Nolan.
Premiered in 1975 Chicago holds the record for being the longest-running American musical in Broadway history and is the second longest-running show in Broadway history behind The Phantom of the Opera. It is the longest-running American musical in West End history. The 2002 film version of the musical starring Richard Gere, Catherine Zeta Jones and Renee Zelweger won six Academy Awards including Best Picture as well as numerous other awards. It continues to be one of the most popular musicals of all time.

‘All that Jazz’, ‘Funny Honey’, ‘Cell block Tango’, ‘If you’re good to mamma’, ‘All I care about is love’, ‘Razzle, dazzle’, ‘Me and my baby’ are just some of the memorable songs in the show.
Booking is open at Siamsa Tire box-office – 066-7123055 or online at
www.siamsatire.com