In the play, he defends Hart and her rival Velma Kelly, winning both cases. Sarcastic, sexy, tough, funny. In the original Broadway version of the musical, he was portrayed by the late Jerry Orbach, who also played Sa'Luk in Disney's Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and King Charlatan in the 1984 My Little Pony series. ESFP. Kelly is based on the character "Velma", who first appeared in the 1926 play, also called Chicago, who was in-turn inspired by the life of Belva Gaertner . The story is inspired by the screaming headlines of the Front Page era and the decade after. Find out how you match to him and 5500+ other characters. Most of the characters are relatable due to some semblance to real life how lawyers spin the case to favor their client and how celebrities are easy to create with the help of press conferences. She is the best reporter in all Illinois. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, you've got to come see . Jones and Zellweger as Velma and Roxie in Chicago. In case productions are about to come in your area, you get to read it here. Otherwise, she is at best Flynns puppet because being a lawyer includes teaching your client what to say to the media and in court. running back about to step onstage for his Broadway . Since Chicago is a 1970s musical that's set in the 1920s, most of the songs below are either from pre-contemporary musicals or musicals that are set in the 1920s. And she found a way to make a bad situation work out for her like realizing how she can be the toast of the town despite being in jail which brings us to the next factor that made this musical such a hit. Review of the movie Chicago - Mega Essays Billy knows the secret to getting public opinion on his side: turn the whole trial into a show! . The Phantom of the Opera: What Was the Monkey Music Box For? Famous, infamous, it doesnt make any difference for her as long as shes on the front page. Then its all back to the black chairs in presenting a story meant to be funny. Hugh Jackman was apparently offered the role, but declined due to him thinking that he was too young. Chicago is still playing on Broadway and returns to London's West End this spring, after a six-year hiatus, with Cuba Gooding Jr as Billy Flynn, the lawyer who defends both women. I am an admin of this site. In the original Broadway version, the song was performed by Flynn's actor, the late Jerry Orbach. Prior to Mike & Molly, Gardell was known for playing another cop - Jeff Hoyne - on My Name Is Earl and is currently starring in another Chuck Lorre sitcom, Bob Hearts . Best known as the best lawyer in all Chicago, Illinois. She is an aspiring actress who gets into trouble with the law after murdering a man she was having an affair with and enlists the help of Billy Flynn to get her out of jail and into spotlight as a star She was portrayed by Gwen Verdon in the 1975 musical, and by Rene Zellweger in its 2002 film adaptation . Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists, See more characters from Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. I am referring to how a criminal proceeding was presented with such chutzpah, you realize how such presentation ends up becoming a lot more honest about the legal proceedings. Her best attempts at intelligence are only apparent because her husband, Amos, is dumber than her. She then realized the extent of her arrogance once Roxie pointed out to her that shes been pushed off the front page. Classic Films Study Guide Flashcards | Quizlet Learn. Though it was practically accidental, the result was a female-driven powerhouse of a musical which culminates in the thrilling alliance of two hardened veterans of showbiz. Analysis Of Chicago By Ebb And Bob Fosse - 920 Words | Bartleby Her role is a memorable one since the song When Youre Good to Mama is pretty straight-forward about her agenda. Whether Roxie Hart is already a spotlight hog before she met Billy Flynn or not, meeting Billy Flynn helped spark that fame whore in her. This upsets Velma greatly as she becomes old news. Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ Police detective who interviews Amos after Roxie kills Fred. I want to talk to my lawyer, a line that accused individuals say whenever they feel cornered and in need of someone to speak on their behalf. Billy Flynn is just in it for the money. Chicago Characters | Cast List of Characters From Chicago - Ranker The Chicago from Broadway design relies on three guiding principles: 1. G. Gillian Russo January 10, 2023, 09:53. Billy Flynn - Works | Archive of Our Own stream Billy Flynn has been a mainstay on the Chicago blues circuit since the mid-80's. Traditionally in musicals the music is embedded . Sexy, persuasive, manipulative, masculine. Without Flynn and with a dose of brainless arrogance, she almost got hanged if not for a need to live again and enjoy being the media celebrity all over again. Get Access. James T. Lane Loves Playing an African-American Billy Flynn in 'Chicago William "Billy" Flynn is the deuteragonist of the musical Chicago, and all of its adaptations. Our Picks for The 2019/20 Season: K-12 Edition Felicia Lucas April 23, 2019. . Get Roxie acquitted for her murder of her lover Fred Casely, Kang the Conqueror (Marvel Cinematic Universe). The actor went on to say that he'd had to draw a line in the sand, that or "I was going to die.". Inside CHICAGO by Scott Miller - New Line Theatre Tom Hewitt is currently . Killers were romanticized or vilified, cops and lawyers and reporters lived in each other's pockets, and newspapers read like pulp fiction. The late 1920s. She found out her husband had several wives and killed him with Arsenic. You know why? . Open Document. musical villains mashup // 20+ shows ???? On both stage and screen, Roxie and Velma salvage their meagre existence after prison when they come together, putting aside their instincts to compete with each other in order to dazzle twice as much as a double act. Chicago brought Huey Lewis his Broadway debut, too. Billy Flynn said it best too Its showbiz!. Comparetto shared the exciting news on social media along with nearly two dozen 60s-inspired photos that show off her baby bump and the couple's enthusiasm about the next chapter of their lives. It's not all breakneck production numbers, but it's never far from one. Define Your Character's Role in the Work You're Analyzing. As he modestly puts it, I dont mean to toot my own horn, but if Jesus Christ lived in Chicago today, and he had come to me and he had five thousand dollars, lets just say things would have turned out differently. Relying on the sympathies of the public, Billy plays off his female clients as victims. Chicago (2002) - Richard Gere as Billy Flynn - IMDb Roxie has several press . Also he could easily be swayed into thinking one way by persuasion only to change his mind upon getting into another persuasion all over again as shown as how he immediately changed his mind into supporting Roxie again. Husband: Charlie. So we spoke to @, In the depths of January, its easy to be hard on ourselves. So bringing in the song-and-dance numbers only brought the point home. Billy will take any case as long as it is sure to put money in his pocket. What is stark in both versions is the limited power that these women actually have. Chicago: Every Song In The Movie, Ranked - ScreenRant Nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) murders her philandering husband, and Chicago's slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), is set to defend her. Nice try extending her 15 minutes of fame, sucker. Theatrical Song. The show takes place in Chicago, Illinois in the 1 920s. It features Billy Flynn, the corrupt lawyer Roxie Hart, as he attempts to turn her trial into a media circus. Beware Terrible view from normal price balcony seats Phantom of the Opera Her Majesty's Theatre, Top 30 Most Influential People in Musical Theater. Images attached are from the film version of the hit musical. When Roxie found out the true, she killed him with a gun. Her statements regarding the murder case conflicted after her lawyer, Billy Flynn, got preoccupied with his other client. to read our character analysis for Billy Flynn and unlock other amazing theatre resources! The introductory number of Billy Flynn is a dreamy number that showcases how the sensational lawyer gets the job done and pleases his clients. School Nova Southeastern University; Course Title PHIL 100; Uploaded By jackhayes76. However, when Roxie additionally ends up in jail, Billy goes up against her case too - transforming her into a . It doesnt overly dramatize things that happen daily in life. Sexy, funny, powerful and tough. Billy Flynn is just in it for the money. Character from the 1927 play Chicago Billy Flynn (at right) as portrayed by Jerry Orbach in the Broadway adaptation , 1976 It was the Hollywood film version that suggested that. There is a story. Some things end up being funny when it reminds you of something that you have seen before a little too often, it has lost its potency to be a credible sob story that it has transcended to the point of being funny. And even folks who never attended law school can tell how he managed to defend Roxie Hart. The guns got used in Roxies scene and in the heiresss scene. Velma has already captured the attention of newspaper readers, but after the poor sap Amos pays Billy his fee, a process begins to transform Roxie into a misunderstood heroine. In 2002, Catherine Zeta Jones and Rene Zellweger starred in the movie adaptation, which positions each musical number as though it were happening in Roxies (Zellweger) imagination. New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Chicago Play Critique Character Analysis. Hayden McAllister, a junior who plays Billy Flynn, watched several productions of Chicago to help him prepare for his role. And the choreography doesn't copy Fosse's inimitable style, but it's not far from it, either; the movie sideswipes imitation on its way to homage. Sometimes I consider her character as a commentary about journalists that got so persuaded with one presentation of the case that they almost went biased towards it. Characters | CHICAGO "My great-grandmother and I would play dress up," recounts Flynn. Chicago Play Critique Character Analysis - GraduateWay An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works You can like the life youre living, you can live the life you like; you can even marry Harry or mess around with Ike, Roxie and Velma sing, all the while suggesting that they wont be tricked into dependence on HarryorIke. Or E-mail: . The Phantom of the Opera: What Was the Monkey Music Box For? Roxie doesn't have one, so Mama suggests the best criminal lawyer in Chicago, BILLY FLYNN. Other than that, enjoy Villains Wiki!!! Set in the 1920s and based on real events, this satirical show follows wannabe jazz age stars who get their fame not just for their singing or dancing talent, but for committing murders that make sensationalized headlines all across . CHICAGO the Musical is based off the 1926 play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, the reporter assigned to cover the 1924 trials of murderesses Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner. Roxie Hart becomes her antagonist even though she will try to do everything to save her vaudeville career. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! A topnotch vaudeville performer, Velma Kelly was incarcerated for her murder of her husband and her sister after catching them in bed. But for the most part the film runs on solid-gold cynicism. If Billy is the Agent, Mama would be considered the Manager. When you write a character analysis, you must define that character's role. Residence. This Character will be performed by someone from the ensemble. . From Velma Kellys cry, No, Im no ones wife but, oh, I love my life! in All that Jazz, to hers and Roxie Harts climatic closing duet Nowadays, its a score that relishes in womens liberation. Chicago Character Descriptions V E L MA KE L L Y : F e ma l e , 2 5 -4 0 (Ra n g e : Al to , E 3 -D5 ) V a u d vi l l e p e rf o rme r wh o i s a ccu se d o f mu rd e ri n g h e r si st e r a n d h u sb a n d . Roxie is not very bright and never thinks about Billy is a lot like a Hollywood Agent. Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring Roxie Hart from Chicago | CharacTour Melodrama is not the only genre that can present stories involving such crimes. Its the best thing about this musical. And the moment that she realized that the new girl in town has taken up her space on the front page in several publications, she then tried to pair up with her for a vaudeville performance. And no feel-good musical would dare tell you the truth in barely-there clothing and fishnet stockings. The 2002 movie Chicago was adapted from Bob Fosse's 1975 Broadway musical, Chicago. Born sometime in 1955, Flynn and his mother Nora, a prostitute and drug addict, lived in the suburbs of southern California in his early years. Billy Flynn became a lawyer for two reasons: a) the money, and b) because people are schmucks, as easily fooled as children. Tu direccin de correo electrnico no ser publicada. With the kind of ambition that tried to make up for what she lacked in intelligence, she found it so easy to ride along Flynns scheme of turning her into a pious woman, at least for the cameras. Chicago, Illinois, United States. Think for example of the music in the film. Audition Songs for Chicago - By Character | Theatre Trip Even vaudeville has its own spin on sharing these stories. A nalyst: Upon moving to Los Angeles, Flynn landed a job as an analyst at Warner Bros. Studios. Change Photo Log Report Last Update: 1 week ago. William "Billy" Flynn is the deuteragonist of the musical Chicago, and all of its adaptations. include an upper and lower case character and a number. He is incredibly confident and manipulative and always uses whatever lie he can think of as long as it helps his clients. R&B star Usher talks about Broadway debut in Chicago; plays lawyer Luckily, hes in the perfect town for sensational murders. Roxie Hart is the main protagonist of the musical Chicago and all of its adaptations. And it gets me thinking about several factors that made the repeat viewings worth it. Billy Flynn | Criminal Minds Wiki | Fandom No wonder it was labeled as an act of desperation. But that in no way meant that he was out of the woods. She kills her boyfriend in her apartment after coming home and finding him with two girls. . Go to the shop Go to the shop. The Inspiration for CHICAGO: Two Merry Murderesses New York, NY, Linda Ray We stand wi, "Beginning is at once a masterful composition of observational comedy, and an incredibly moving commentary on moder, Misinformation and lack of knowledge often turn our bodily fluids into a taboo. Surely enough, he has other clients too but in the case of Velma, she can work her own wonders into putting her face on the front page for everyone to gawk at. So does "Chicago," and Barrett can offer a reason. %PDF-1.4 O'Brien. Billy is a suave, educated lawyer who can persuade anyone to do anything. She killed her boyfriend after she found out he was sleeping around. That's about $60,000 in modern day buckaroos. John Kander, Billy is the female murderesses hero in an expensive suit -- in all. And yet, Mama Morton (Mazz Murray) and Velma (Josefina Gabrielle) share excellent chemistry and steal the show at the Phoenix when they team up for a rendition of Class. 3w2. My client feels that it was the combination of liquor and jazz that led to her downfall.Billy to the reporters in his campaign for Roxie's defence. Flynn Center - Chicago: The Musical Kelly Osbourne as Mama Morton 'Chicago, The Musical' (2006) . Daytime star's family is about to get bigger by one. Eddie George was in his dressing room at the Ambassador Theater on Tuesday night, a Heisman Trophy winner and former star N.F.L. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Chicago: The Female Lament behind the Vaudeville Harpy. You have a bunch of dancers and all that jazz having fun in what seemed to be a nightclub in Prohibition Era Chicago and then an extra giddy couple enters the stage and go lovey-dovey on each other. Some journalists could only be so vulnerable a trait not advisable for their profession.