Sneak Peek: Richfield High School's 'Chicago' to Open Thursday

Richfield High School thespians are gearing up for opening night of their spring musical masterpiece: "Chicago."

According to Director Steven Bucko, "Chicago is about a less-than-moral woman—Roxie Hart—who kills her lover and with the help of other less-than-moral people, gets away with it."

While most audiences don't secretly hope for a murder to come out on top, "Chicago" is different.

"What I like about the show is that we, the audience, are rooting for [Roxie]," Bucko said. "We cheer for Roxie, Velma, Billy Flynn, and Mama. They all win in the end. And the two most deserving or 'good' characters, Amos and Hunyak, do not."

Now, many of you may be thinking of the hit—and rather risqué—2002 movie version of the popular broadway play starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere. While Richfield actors are definitely pushing the limits of high school theater, and embracing their scandalous roles and fishnets, the content and language has been tamed to fit that of a high school production.

Still, the show is sure to tug at something within each audience member.

"This show speaks to that small part of everyone who likes to be a little bad, but in the safety of an audience seat," he added. "That is why we watch 'Real Housewives of Whatever,' 'Honey Boo Boo,' and any other trashy reality TV.  It's guilty pleasure. It's fun. When it's all over, we get to go back to being fine, upstanding citizens. But for two hours, we get to be a little bad. And that's 'Chicago!'"

As for the cast, the leading lady characters of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart by Mivi Nguyen and Emma Wasko, respectively. Billy Flynn is played by Siesse Jordan. See the attached PDF for the whole cast.

As for the music pit and crew:

• Amy Larson: flute/piccolo;
• Nathan Libra: clarinet;
• Joey Hamilton: bass clarinet;
• Shawn Seymour, Andrew Bostrom and Evan Boncher: saxophones;
• Josh Graham: trumpet;
• Chris Peterson: trombone;
• Laura Jo Peasley: stage manager;
• Angela Holin: student technical manager and lights;
• Laura Diercks and Linnea Peasley: costume crew;
• Taylor Hardy, Sam Spran, Ryan Hinton and Hannah Wagner: set crew;
• Rosemary Kusnier and Alissa Larson: sound.

The show opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18. With shows Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 also at 7 p.m. The final show is at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21.

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