‘Chicago: The Musical’ set to open Friday night in Edwards

EDWARDS — Vail Valley Theatre Company, the group that brought you the “Rocky Horror Show,” will bring “Chicago: The Musical” to life on Friday and Saturday, and again on Oct. 24 and 25 at Battle Mountain High School in Edwards.

“Chicago” encompasses everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another; and some of the best Bob Fosse dancing you’ve ever seen from Vail’s local talent. Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the “celebrity criminal.”

“Chicago” is under artistic direction of Beth Swearingen, a well-known Vail Valley singer, dance teacher, fitness instructor, actress, director and mother. You may have caught her performances with Vail’s favorite trio The Fabulous Femmes and The Vail Valley Band. She has also directed and choreographed several VVTC productions such as “Company,” “Side by Side by Sondheim,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Man of La Mancha” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum,” and she co-wrote, directed and choreographed nine years of the highly successful “Evening on Broadway” fundraisers for the VVTC at the Vilar Performing Arts Center.

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VVTC is honored to introduce Jonathan Gorst, of Glenwood Springs, as musical director of “Chicago.” Gorst was the pianist for the Broadway national tour of “Cats” and later became music director and conductor for the tour. He was also music director and principle conductor for the national tour of “The Phantom of the Opera” in 2007, as such he finished the last four years of the “longest running national tour of a Broadway show in history.” Most recently, Gorst has taken on the position of music director at the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue in Glenwood Springs, where he draws on his knowledge of musical theater, ragtime piano and classical music to entertain audiences with sing-a-longs, musical comedy and virtuosic performance.

Cast members of “Chicago” include longtime local favorites Charis Patterson (Velma Kelly), John Tedstrom (Billy Flynn), Bart Garton (Fred Casely) and VVTC newcomers Jessica Long (Roxie Hart), Jet Quealy (Amos) and Gretchen Swanson (Matron Mama).

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After each performance join the cast and crew at bar party sponsors: Main St. Grill on Saturday and e|town on Oct. 25. These parties are a fun opportunity to get to know the cast and crew intimately while dancing, singing and drinking into the night. All parties are free to attend immediately following the show. Visit http://www.vailtheatre.org to learn more on the company.