Throwback Thursday: Chicago
I was looking for old photos the other day.
That’s another great thing about putting my favourite photos in albums is that with a little diligence I can locate some gems from years ago.
When my children return home, often one of the first things they do is grab an old album and sit together and giggle, “oooh” and “aaaaah” about all the photos of their husbands when they were children or how fun it is to see some of our early adventures as a family. They also enjoy looking at my latest albums which I can’t seem to stop putting together because I enjoy it so much. ( I take so many photos that I want to share and not everyone reads these blogs…ha ha)
So when I came across the old photos of the Canadian Premier of the musical , “Chicago” , I enjoyed seeing them again.
Set in Chicago in the jazz age, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same title by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, about actual criminals and the crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal".
I had so much fun playing the lead role of “Roxy Hart” who had such great songs and at the time I had zero body fat (as you can see…ha ha) and had to tap dance and perform many other types of dances in this wacky comedy.
This is still one of two favourite shows that I was ever in ( Dames at Sea being the other) and we got good reviews!
I remember that when I was first introduced as Roxy, the director had me lie sideways on a baby grand piano and that is what the audience saw when the curtains opened.
One night I jumped down from the piano as I was directed to do, and my left shoulder snap broke and my left breast made it’s public appearance! Luckily, I was able to cover up quickly and sang the rest of the song while holding the top of my dress up!
The real “ Velma” (left) and “Roxy” above….
Who is the real Roxie Hart?
Beulah Annan, who was the inspiration for Roxie Hart of Chicago — the 1924 play, the 1927 silent, the 1975 musical and the 2002 Oscar-winning film (and that 1942 Ginger Rogers flick). A married woman accused of shooting her lover in the back, Annan's murder trial was inescapably tabloid-ready.
Belva Gaertner
Historical basis. Velma Kelly's character was based on a woman named Belva Gaertner. Belva was a cabaret singer who had been married and divorced twice. After those men had come and gone, she had a lover named Walter Law, who she thought was the right man for her.
I was made to wear a funny, curly wig but my fake eyelashes would be perfect to fit in with today’s girls…ha ha.
If you’ve never seen the movie, Chicago, you might want to check it out. Renee Zellweger won the Oscar for her portrayal of Roxie!