By Matthew Wexler
“Not guilty.”
It’s the only English line the character of Hunyak says in Chicago, the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. And what a commentary on modern-day America it is. Based on Maurine Dallas Watkins’ 1926 play, inspired by her role as a courthouse reporter for the Chicago Tribune, the musical premiered nearly 50 years later, and its revival is still running strong.
Chicago has kept the coffers full, thanks in part to a rotating roster of celebrities (The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Whitney Leavitt currently stars as Roxie Hart) and Broadway’s best (now including Mykal Kilgore and Jacqueline B. Arnold). But its scathing portrayal of celebrity obsession and political corruption, expertly crafted by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse, could be pulled from today’s headlines as ICE descends upon immigrant families in the name of homeland security.
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The character of Hunyak is based on real-life Italian immigrant Sabella Nitti, accused and convicted of murdering her husband without a shred of evidence. While the musical’s creators used Nitti’s story to frame a warning about xenophobia (she’s the only character in “Cell Block Tango” who is, in fact, innocent), the real Nitti had Helen Cirese in her corner, an up-and-coming attorney who secured a retrial, gave the defendant a makeover, and overturned her conviction. (Want a deeper dive? Read Ugly Prey: An Innocent Woman and the Death Sentence That Scandalized Jazz Age Chicago by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi.)
‘Chicago’ proves staying power isn’t just about nostalgia
Chicago is among our top picks for NYC Broadway Week. I recently revisited the production to see Kate Baldwin as Roxie Hart, and was thrilled to see a few understudies go on, including Kristen Faith Oei as Velma Kelly and Jennifer Dunne as Hunyak.
The show, choreographed by the late Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and directed by Walter Bobbie, still resonates. Those definitive hip rolls and shoulder shrugs are as fine-tuned as ever, and the back-to-back 11 o’clock numbers, “Nowadays” and “Hot Honey Rag” sparkle as they did three decades ago.
But don’t underestimate Chicago’s brilliance as a timeless piece of social commentary, which is a bit depressing for the state of America, but a nod to the enduring success of American musical theater.
Fast facts: ‘Chicago’
Chicago‘s 30-year Broadway run is impressive, but its continued relevance as social commentary is exactly why you should see it now.
- Ambassador Theatre, 219 West 49th Street, New York City
- Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission
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