An interview with performing artists Sandra Caldwell and Amanda De Freitas about their experience on stage with the Stratford Festival's production of the musical Chicago. They discuss their careers and what the show says about women's empowerment and agency.
In this podcast episode, we speak to two performers from the Stratford Festival's current production of the well-known musical Chicago, holding the record as the longest-running American musical on Broadway and is now part of the festival's lineup until October 30th. Directed and choreographed by Donna Feore, the show captures the effervescence of the Roaring Twenties in a tale full of intrigue, adultery, revenge, murder and justice.
Our guests are Sandra Caldwell, who plays the role of Mama Morton, and Amanda De Freitas, who plays the role of Go-To-Hell Kitty. As we'll discover in the conversation, Amanda also shared the role of Mama Morton, through being called on replacement duty, to rave reviews.
Sandra and Amanda describe how this Stratford staging of Chicago under the direction of Donna Feore is a fast-moving show speaking directly to our times. Feore reinterpreted the show to make it relevant for now. A moment that she describes as a time of image manipulation, open corruption, and the abuse of truth. So this is a completely reimagined production brought to remarkable life by the massive talents of the exceptional dancers, actors, singers, and musicians at the Stratford Company.
It's an inclusive show where audiences can recognize themselves. The very diverse cast includes many people of colour and members of the LGBTQ+ communities.
Show notes
Festival Theatre
April 6 - October 30, 2022
In the Roaring Twenties, aspiring chorus girl Roxie Hart and fading vaudeville star Velma Kelly each face trial for murder. Both are as cynical as they are sexy, and the two women compete for the services of shady lawyer Billy Flynn, who promises to make them media celebrities and win them acquittals. With its killer score and all-new knock-’em-dead dance numbers, this deliciously lurid tale of adultery, murder and justice as showbiz packs some serious heat.
House Program: Chicago
Runtime: Two hours and 23 minutes, including one 18-minute intermission
