Better to be famous or infamous?

Date of release: 10/02/02

SWT presents Chicago, the musical

Time and Date: Oct. 17-19 and 24-26 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 20 and 27 at 2 p.m.
Place: Main Stage at the Theatre Center, SWT campus
Tickets: $10 general admission; $5 students with SWT ID


Jessica Woodward plays, Liz in SWT’s rendition of Chicago,which begins Thursday, Oct. 17 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 27.

San Marcos — Under the direction of Michael Costello, the Southwest Texas Department of Theatre & Dance will soon bring to life all the razzle and dazzle of Chicago, the Tony award winning Broadway musical.

Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a chorus girl-turned-murderess who, with the aid of her smooth-talking lawyer, turns crime into celebrity. When fellow murderess Velma Kelly realizes she may lose the limelight to Roxie, a Jazz Age rivalry is played out in some of the best song and dance numbers from recent Broadway memory. In the end, the two “killer-dillers” join forces in a vaudeville act that sets Chicago on fire.

Chicago was written by Bob Fosse, John Kander, and Fred Ebb. The musical is based on crime beat reporter Maurine Watkins’ play of the same name. Chicago was inspired by actual events featured in 1920s tabloid journalism.

The show runs Oct. 17-19 and 24-26 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for students with ID. For reservations please call the box office at (512) 245-2204.


SWT student, Meg Geer, (left) plays Roxie and student, Melissa Vogt, (right) plays Velma in the tony-award winning musical Chicago. Geer and Vogt play dueling, murderess chorus girls in the Jazz Age classic.


Woodward (left), Geer (middle), and Vogt (right) all appear in Chicago, the musical, at Southwest Texas this month.
Woodward (far left), Vogt (middle) and Geer (right) prepare for rehearsal and a photo shoot in the green room of the SWT Theatre Center.

Contact: Stacy Alexander Evans, publicity, se1004@swt.edu; phone: 512-245-2147
Lisa Cruz, media relations, lz10@swt.edu; phone: 512-245-2180

Media info: Interviews with and photos of main characters can be provided electronically upon request. A rehearsal schedule can be provided, and t.v. filming can be arranged prior to opening night with interviews. For more information, contact Lisa Cruz or Stacy Alexander at contact information above. An interesting note on this production is that two students are assisting with choreographic direction. Their contact information and photos can be provided as well.

Photo’s: Click each photograph to download print resolution images saved in the JPEG format.

Featured Student Choreographers

SWT acting students Vicki Burns and Jennifer Bussear are serving as student choreographers on the SWT production of Chicago , the musical. Both are long-time dancers and are excited about the opportunity to serve in such a leadership capacity on a production. The cast of chicago is under the professional choreographic direction of Melissa May-Moncus.


Vicki
Burns

Vicki, who is currently one of two student choreographers for SWT’s production of Chicago, graduates in May and is looking forward to moving to New York to pursue her career on Broadway. Originally from Nederland, Tx, Vicki ultimately wants to be an actress and dancer; however, she is often placed in the role of choreographer since she has been teaching dance for the past 10 years. A dancer for 19 years, Vicki currently teaches at Jackie’s Performing Arts in Austin.

Vicki said her experience as a choreographer for Chicago allows her to stretch her limits as an instructor. The production has allowed her to be creative since the dancers are older than her usual clients, and she said it allows her to teach Fosse.

“I’ve been trained in Fosse since I was 15. I have researched him and gone to New York to study,” Vicki said. “I am hard on the dancers when it comes to technique. I teach it, so they have something to use in their careers, but more importantly because I want them to have fun.”

In the few weeks since rehearsals began, Vicki said the dancers look amazing.


Jennifer Bussear

Jennifer, also a student choreographer for Chicago, has been dancing for many years. A junior at SWT, last year, Jennifer choreographed parts of the SWT production Medeas. This past summer, she was asked to choreograph 32 high school students at a summer camp in Swing dance.

Jennifer said she has wanted to dance her entire life. After enduring five knee surgeries, dancing still remains her passion. Although she loves to act, dancing seems to be her calling.

“I hope that people who have never seen musicals appreciate how hard we work for them,” Jennifer said. “It’s nice to know we have affected people in a positive way.”