Every year, the winter musical is by far the Nobles Theater Collective’s (NTC) most anticipated production. Last year’s Mean Girls stood out as the first time in several years that NTC had performed a more well-known title, with Twelfth Night preceding it. This year, NTC will be presenting Chicago, a familiar title in the realm of 1920s musical theater.
Chicago contrasts with Mean Girls thematically. These differences can be found in the time period of the setting, the ages of the characters, and the relative maturity of the plot. “There is a contrast because of that maturity, and I do feel like it’ll be well received,” cast member Mandy Chukwu (Class II) said.
This year’s musical is also significantly more dance-driven. This poses a unique set of challenges but also provides a broadened experience for cast members. “I think my favorite part is learning more about dancing[…]I get to learn more about jazz dance and as well as jazz singing,” Chukwu said. The stylistic distinction of Chicago is affected both by the story the show conveys as well as the time period it is from. “This musical is really kind of a musical about musicals[…]It’s almost a satire on musical theater. So everything is really heightened and super saturated,” Performing Arts Faculty Allison Taaffe said.
“It’s almost a satire on musical theater. So everything is really heightened and super saturated.”
One of the biggest changes we’ll see this year is the presence of the pit band on the stage. “We were on stage once for Twelfth Night, but from my understanding, this feels a little different from that as well because we’re almost part of the plot,” pianist Eva Yu (Class I) said. The band will be split on either side of the stage, which will present its own challenges, both sound-wise for the crew and for the musicians on stage. The students in the pit band will also get costumes. “The idea is to show what a big band used to look like in the 1920s. We’re going for that. We want to look vintage,” Director of Instrumental Music Antonio Berdugo said.
As such, the set design must accommodate the pit band and the dancers and set scenes properly. Chicago involves scenes taking place in different locations, which is a task that Performing Arts Technical Director Erik Diaz and the crew have stepped up to handle. “There are a lot of different scenic elements, backdrops, [and] set pieces that have to come on stage that are really kind of pushing the limits of what the space can handle, so we’re having to come up with some pretty creative solutions on how to make those things happen,” Diaz said. Additionally, historical accuracy and storytelling are also crucial to keep in mind while designing the set. “We’re leaning a lot heavier into the theatricality of storytelling and how to do more in terms of creative use of backdrops, and some rigging, and lighting effects, and even some circus elements to help tell that story,” Diaz said.
“We’re leaning a lot heavier into the theatricality of storytelling and how to do more in terms of
creative use of backdrops, and some rigging,
and lighting effects, and even some
circus elements to help tell that story.”
In the costumes department, historical accuracy is also a vital challenge to address. “With any period piece, you have to be really deliberate about where you’re sourcing things from, and ultimately, the time period makes shopping and renting potentially[…]very difficult in that way,” Costume Designer Sophia Baramidze said. At the same time, the costumes team is able to adapt, experiment, and work with the cast and other adults throughout the season. Chicago’s style also gives the costumes’ designs a certain level of freedom. “The design concept is so based in vaudeville that[…]there’s still a lot of license to play with silhouette and style within that framework,” Baramidze said. What can viewers expect to see when the show runs in February? NTC’s Chicago has its own unique style, set, and costumes; it diverges from the original in many of these aspects. “It’s really a joy to work with the other designers and adult production team, people who are just really thoughtful and brilliant, and I feel like we’ve been coming up with some really fun moments to highlight and concepts that I’m just really excited by,” Baramidze said. These moments are what will make the production truly memorable, and Chicago is shaping up to be an amazing show. “It’s a show full of sequins and jazz hands. It’s just very classic, and that’s fun,” Taaffe said.
“It’s a show full of sequins and jazz hands. It’s just very classic, and that’s fun.”
