Chicago The Musical

John Kander and Fred Ebb: Music/Lyrics/Book

The dynamic duo of John Kander and Fred Ebb have been writing together since 1965. In addition to Chicago, they wrote the following for the theatre: Flora, The Red Menace; Cabaret; The Happy Time; Zorba; 70, Girls, 70; 2 by 5; The Act; Woman of the Year; The Rink; And The World Goes ƒºÂRound—The Kander and Ebb Musical; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Steel Pier; and Over and Over.

They are also responsible for writing music and lyrics for the following films: Something for Everyone; Norman Rockwell’s World: An American Dream ; Cabaret; Funny Lady; Lucky Lady; A Matter of Time; New York, New York; All That Jazz (with Bob Fosse); French Postcards; Kramer vs. Kramer; Places in the Heart; I Want to Go Home; and Stepping Out.

For televison, they wrote for or produced the following: An Early Frost; Gypsy in My Soul; Liza With a Z (directed by Bob Fosse); Breathing Lessons; The Boys Next Door; Goldie and Liza Together; Ol' Blue Eyes is Black; Baryshnikov on Broadway and Liza in London.

Bob Fosse: Co-Author, Original Choreographer and Director

Bob Fosse began his career in Chicago, studying tap, ballet and acrobatic dance at a young age. After graduating from high school in 1945 and a brief stint in the Navy, he moved to New York to study acting at the American Theatre Wing. He subsequently toured as a chorus member in various productions before making his Broadway debut in the musical revue Dance Me A Song.

Fosse danced in two long-running musicals, Call Me Mister and Make Mine Manhattan, which he followed with performances in the films Give a Girl a Break and Kiss Me Kate. His first success as a choreographer was “Steam Heat” from Pajama Game. He followed this with the hits Damn Yankees with Gwen Verdon, Bells are Ringing with Judy Holiday, New Girl in Town with Gwen Verdon and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Robert Morse. Fosse was both director and choreographer for the following hits: Redhead with Gwen Verdon, Little Me with Cid Ceasar, Sweet Charity with Gwen Verdon, and the popular musicals Pippin, Dancin' and Big Deal. Fosse also directed a number of films, including Sweet Charity with Shirley McLaine, All that Jazz (his autobiographical film) with Roy Scheider, Lenny with Dustin Hoffman, Star 80 with Eric Roberts and Cabaret with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey.

In 1973 Bob Fosse won the highest awards in the three different media: an Oscar for the film Cabaret, a Tony award for the musical Pippin, and an Emmy Award for the television special Liza With a Z.

Bob Fosse was co-author, original director and choreographer for Chicago. Although he excelled as a director, choreographer, dancer, and actor, he was perhaps best known and loved for his innovative and breathtaking staging, specifically his dance sequences. He died of a heart attack on September 23, 1987.

Walter Bobbie: Director

Received the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards for Chicago. He was the Artistic Director of the City Center’s “Encores!” series, and directed its premiere production, Fiorello! Other credits include: For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls at EST; Durang, Durang at MTC; Andrea Martin’s Nude Nude Totally Nude at NYSF and A Grand Night for Singing at Rainbow and Stars and Roundabout Theatre. Mr. Bobbie is also an actor whose appearances on Broadway and Off-Broadway include Guys and Dolls, Assassins, Getting Married, Anything Goes, Cafe Crown, Driving Miss Daisy, I Love My Wife, A History of the American Film and the original Grease! He has appeared in many films, television series and is a frequent guest on radio with Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.

Ann Reinking: Choreographer

Ms. Reinking was a student and friend of Mr. Fosse. She replaced Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart in the 1975 production of Chicago. Her choreography in the revival of Chicago (on which this production is based) was done “in the style of Bob Fosse.” She won the 1997 Tony Award for Best Choreography for her work in the revival.

Other credits for ...

Choreography: Applause (national tour, Paper Mill Playhouse); Chicago (Encores! at New York City Center); Bye-Bye Birdie (ABC TV); Legends (Joffrey Ballet Chicago); Nilsson/Schmillson (Seattle’s Spectrum Dance Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Chicago (Civic Light Opera of Long Beach/L.A. Drama Critics Award); Suite to Sondheim (Pacific Northwest Ballet); Pal Joey (Goodman Theatre of Chicago/Jefferson Award); original ballet “Ritmo Y Ruido” (Ballet Hispanico); original ballet to the music of John Kander (Missouri State Ballet); co-director and co-choreographer for Fosse, A Celebration in Song and Dance.

Theatre: Roxie Hart in Chicago (Encores! at New York City Center); Bye-Bye Birdie (national tour opposite Tommy Tune); Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ (Tony Award nomination); Sweet Charity (revival); Roxie Hart in Chicago (original production); Pippin, Coco and Maggie in Over Here! (Theatre World, Clarence Derwent and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards); Goodtime Charley (Tony nomination); The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Film: All That Jazz; Annie; Micki and Maude; Movie, Movie.

Other: Founder and Artistic Director of the Broadway Theatre Project. Received the Governor’s Award—Ambassador of the Arts for the state of Florida, 1994.

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