Praised for its bold and somewhat sexy choreography, Chicago the Musical is both a celebration of the Jazz Age glitz and glamour and a scathing rebuke of how superficial the pursuit of fame can be. From vaudeville theaters to jazz clubs and from the gritty streets of Chicago to the cold courtroom scenes, Chicago offers a look inside Broadway’s longest-running American musical.
Let’s take a look at both the glamour and grit behind this beloved musical and how your theater can set the stage to bring your audience right inside every incredible choreographed moment.
The Story of Chicago
The musical Chicago is set in the 1920s and follows aspiring chorus girl Roxie Hart, who murders her lover after he threatens to leave her. She hires the slick lawyer Billy Flynn to make her a celebrity through sensational headlines, which puts her in direct competition with established vaudeville star Velma Kelly, who is in jail for murdering her husband and sister. It is there that Roxie meets Velma, and their competition for the limelight begins. By the end of the storyline, both women find that their celebrity status is fickle, as audiences quickly move on to the next sensationalized scandal.
Setting Your Theater for Chicago
The scenes that chronicle the story of Roxie and Velma shift from jazz clubs of the 1920s to courtrooms, jails, the streets of Chicago and vaudeville theaters. Here are just a few of the many backdrops available at Charles H. Stewart to showcase your performance of Chicago.
The Streets of Chicago
There are many options for setting the stage for the streets of Chicago, including graffiti-sprayed walls, underpasses and skyline images that will help your audience be transported to the Prohibition Era in Chicago, Illinois.
This Under the Bridge Backdrop features the underside of an elevated highway or elevated train, such as the Chicago “L.” It also shows the steel supports under the bridge, depicting the cold and sometimes dirty side of city living.
This Cityscape Backdrop features a black-and-white view of city buildings.
This City Street Backdrop shows a street-level view of storefronts, brownstones, coffee shops, restaurants and apartments.
This Night Skyline Backdrop features a beautiful evening skyline with city lights reflecting off the waters of Lake Michigan.
Jazz Club & Bars
Since Chicago is set during the height of the Jazz Age and a time of prohibition, jazz clubs and bars play a role in setting the stage for the production.
This jazz backdrop, titled Jazz Music Backdrop, is currently for sale. It presents a black-and-white depiction of some of the greatest jazz musicians and singers ever to grace the stage.
This Pub Interior Backdrop features a wood-panel interior, a wooden-beam ceiling, and the bar on the left.
Theaters
For scenes where the main characters show off their choreography chops, this theater backdrop is great at bringing the audience into the 1920s theater environment.
This Center Stage Backdrop features floor lights, spotlights, and front-stage curtains.
Courtroom Scenes
For scenes where the two leading ladies head to court for their crimes, this Courtroom Interior Cut Backdrop is ideal, featuring a wood-panel interior with a central cutaway and two large Corinthian columns.
To view all of our backdrop options for Chicago, visit our show suggestion page or use our search feature to look up specific backdrops for your performance.
