The Razzle Dazzle of 'Chicago'!

The Broadway Show: Uncut • Host: Tamsen Fadal • Airdate: November 21, 2025

Overview

This episode of “The Broadway Show: Uncut” is a deep dive into the legacy, artistry, and timeless appeal of Chicago, Broadway’s longest-running American musical, now celebrating 29 years. Host Tamsen Fadal brings listeners backstage and into the rehearsal room, featuring candid conversations with the show’s dance captain, its current Velma Kelly (Sophie Carmen Jones), and the acclaimed script adapter David Thompson. Together, they explore the show’s enduring power, the specifics of Fosse style, the evolving company, and the satirical relevance that keeps Chicago a beloved fixture on Broadway.

Key Discussion Segments & Insights

1. Behind the Curtain: Preparing for the Stage

[00:04–09:48] Tamsen Fadal & Dance Captain David Bushman

• Training Non-Traditional Cast Members

  • Even one-night guest performers go through rigorous preparation. Rehearsals are a blend: half in the studio (with mirrors for visual learning), half on the actual stage to acclimate to the space. (01:54)
  • Dancers learn choreography first without music to “set up the structure,” then layer in music and counts. (02:23)
  • Quote: “We’re not always doing everything at the same time. Learn the dance, learn the music, and then put it together.” — David Bushman (02:29)

• Why ‘Chicago’ Endures

  • The only show on Broadway still performing pure Fosse style—“That legacy is continuing.” (02:58)
  • Minimalist staging—no lavish scenery, just storytelling and vaudeville form.
  • Its message about celebrity, media, and justice remains perennially relevant. (02:58)
  • Quote: “It’s a really great, still timeless satire… It’s also Kander and Ebb’s music. It doesn’t get any better than that.” — David Bushman (02:58)

• Company Dynamics & ‘Fosse’ Demystified

  • Each cast member brings unique strengths—no “cookie cutter” performances. (01:12)
  • High turnover, especially in lead roles, brings fresh energy—"personalities constantly finding their way."
  • Quote: “Really, Fosse is a lot about isolation… elbows, wrists, hands… all this wonderful articulation through the joints and isolation. It’s pulled in and contained movement...” — David Bushman (05:31)
  • The company supports newcomers and swings (backups) with “shove with love”—a spirit of gentle collaboration. (07:12)

• The Energy of Live Performance

  • The intimate Ambassador Theatre (capacity 1,100) means every performer’s work is visible and crucial—the essence of a “triple-threat” show. (08:02)
  • Audience reactions differ nightly, especially with international crowds, but the cast feeds off their energy. (08:44)
  • Quote: “It is a show that has been set all over the world… There’s a reason it’s still going. It’s just so relevant.” — David Bushman (09:11)

2. Star Turn: Sophie Carmen Jones, Broadway’s Velma Kelly

[10:00–27:00] Interviewed by Paul Wontorek

• Origins & Aspirations

  • Sophie was inspired by seeing Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Chicago film at age 11—her Welsh roots created a personal connection. (11:15)
  • Quote: “Because she was from where I was from, I was like, well, that means I can do it too.” — Sophie Carmen Jones (11:00)

• Journey to Broadway

  • First played Velma on the UK tour at 24, having held out for a leading role after turning down an understudy offer. (14:52)
  • Performed Chicago in Japan before making her Broadway debut, auditioning anew for the American production despite past experience. (16:04)
  • Quote: “I want to play those roles. It was a year-long tour, so I thought, no, I’ll stick to my guns and say how I really feel…” — Sophie Carmen Jones (15:02)

• Company Culture & Adaptability

  • Warm, veteran ensemble members make new arrivals feel “immediately very comfortable,” balancing fresh nerves with routine calm. (17:22)
  • Principal roles—especially Roxie and Velma—constantly rotate, keeping performances vibrant and relationships dynamic. (22:35)
    • Quote: “It felt like a whole new show… The whole show felt buzzy.” — Sophie Carmen Jones, on playing opposite a new Roxie (22:35)

• The Fosse Challenge

  • Fosse choreography demands precision, isolation, and discipline—“tilt of the wrist… there’s so much discipline… there’s beauty in that.” (21:04)
  • Her love for dance was rekindled in Moulin Rouge!, but Chicago’s “All That Jazz” still brings nightly excitement. (20:24)
  • Quote: “Fosse choreography actually is [iconic]… it is an honor to do it every night.” — Sophie Carmen Jones (20:24)

• Portraying Velma

  • The show opens with Velma as a vaudeville narrator, distinct from her main “in-story” character.
  • Quote: “At the top of the show, there’s kind of a thought that Velma isn’t being Velma… but just like a Pippin sort of vaudeville star moment.” — Sophie Carmen Jones (25:48)

3. Building ‘Chicago’: A Conversation with Script Adapter David Thompson

[27:11–36:56] Interviewed by Beth Stevens

• Adapting for Revivals: Essence over Excess

  • The 1996 Encores! revival began as a concert—emphasizing streamlined storytelling, minimal props, and no scenery. (27:16)
  • Creative aim: Condense dialogue and action—“if a speech was in three sentences… could you do it in one word?” (32:05)

• Vaudeville Structure’s Lasting Power

  • Vaudeville roots enable rapid, stylish scene shifts and musical numbers, influencing everything from Saturday Night Live to Chicago’s satirical tone. (29:16)
  • Quote: “It provided a point of view for the music…and it allows you to say, and now, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to do a tap dance… And that’s what became the engine to tell that story.” — David Thompson (29:16)

• Chicago and America’s Celebrity Obsession

  • The story’s heart: What people will do for fame and public attention hasn’t changed since the 1920s. (30:34)
  • The 1996 revival landed amid the O.J. Simpson trial and the rise of reality TV, making its satire especially sharp. (34:46)
  • Quote: “That idea of people…those stories that we follow…has become sort of a national diet. And they’re…not going away.” — David Thompson (35:18)

• Collaboration and Legacy

  • Partnership with Kander and Ebb emphasized trust, openness, and collaborative ‘idea mixing.’ (33:45)
  • Quote: “You throw it into the mix. Everything is safe…what might have started off as a crazy idea becomes something that’s gold.” — David Thompson (33:45)

• Enduring Relevance

  • Sensational crime and stardom narratives remain compelling, as seen in headlines from O.J. to Stormy Daniels. (36:21)
  • Memorable Lyric: “And that’s because we didn’t get enough love in our childhood.” (36:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fosse Style (David Bushman, 05:31):
  “Fosse is a lot about isolation…elbows, wrists, hands… You don’t want to show the work, but you want to know that there’s all that work happening underneath.”

• Sophie Carmen Jones on Dream Fulfillment (11:00):
  “That means I can do it too... And from that moment, it was my dream. And now I’m playing the role on Broadway. It is bonkers.”

• David Thompson on Celebrity Obsession (34:46):
  “When the show opened in 96… it was right at the time that O.J. Simpson trial was happening... It was the beginning of what would become the idea of reality TV.”

• Sophie Carmen Jones on Opening the Show (20:24):
  “There is not a day when I come out of that trap door, open the show, Epic entrance… Never, every night, I’m like, oh my god, as if I get to do this literally.”

Important Timestamps

• Dance Captain David Bushman on company process: 01:12–09:48
• Sophie Carmen Jones’ journey to Velma Kelly: 10:00–24:02
• Fosse’s influence and Velma’s portrayal: 19:51–26:45
• David Thompson on adaptation and vaudeville: 27:11–36:56

Conclusion

Chicago’s magic lies in its timeless critique of celebrity culture, minimalist aesthetic, and enduring Fosse choreography. This episode captures the camaraderie backstage, the precision required of its artists, and the creative decisions that keep the show vibrant and provocative nearly three decades on. For anyone interested in Broadway’s heartbeat, the evolution of a classic, and the artistry behind the razzle dazzle, this is a must-listen.