FREEPORT – Freeport High School students will cavort on stage portraying bawdy 1920s characters when they present a four-day run of the musical, “Chicago.”
Simon Skold, school drama teacher and play director, has 40 actors ready to play the romantic musical about two actresses who commit murder in jazz-age Chicago, and a prison matron and a lawyer who help them get out of jail and back on the stage.
“Chicago” was an Academy Award-winning movie flush with big stars in 2002. It has also won six Tony Awards on Broadway. The music is by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse.
“I recommend to anyone who hasn’t seen the movie to come and see the play,” Skold said last week, during rehearsal at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. “It’s a bucket-list item to direct this. It’s a fun show. It’s a really big show, too.”
Show times are 7 p.m. on Nov. 13-15, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 16.
Skold, who had to work hard to win production rights, is making sure his actors have all the right moves to make the challenging dance numbers and dramatic scenes work.
He said he chose “Chicago” last spring, but it wasn’t an easy deal.
“There’s quite a process to get the rights,” he said. “I was actually denied the rights at first, because there’s a Broadway show. I pleaded my case and they changed their minds. Samuel French Inc. owns the rights.”
The leads are played by Cheyenne Carter, a senior, as Velma Kelly, and sophomore Zoe Fox as Roxie Hart. Catherine Zeta-Jones played Kelly in the movie, while Renee Zellweger was Hart.
Sophomore Maya Pierce has the role of prison matron Mama Morton, portrayed in the movie by Queen Latifah. Senior Joseph Biberstein is Billy Flynn, portrayed by Richard Gere in the movie, and sophomore Jay Pier plays Amos Hart, Zellweger’s husband in the movie, played by John C. Reilly.
Skold has an ensemble of more than 30 actors.
“We tried to accommodate all who wanted to be in it,” he said. “This show is such a machine, and every part is important.”
Skold bills this “Chicago” production as PG-13.
“‘Chicago’ is thought of as more racy than it is,” he said. “There are mature topics such as murder and sex. But the way we’re doing it and how we’re fighting the raciness, we’re keeping the costumes a little more conservative and we’re doing a little editing with the curse words. It is definitely a PG-13 show, though, and we’re keeping it there.”
The Freeport High cast has had the advantage of rehearsing to piano music played by Kellie Moody. Jesse Wakeman, a University of Southern Maine graduate, is musical director for the show.
Biberstein says he saw only parts of the movie.
“I don’t have a lot of impressions,” Biberstein said. “I’ve formed my own through this process. There are fun, cool things to do on the stage.”
Biberstein said that period music, for him, is a nice change.
“It’s nice because it speeds along,” he said. “No one walks. It’s all jazz walking.”
Fox, who saw the movie, said she is more familiar with the ways of the actors on the screen. She’s also familiar with the jazz.
“It’s all I listen to,” Fox said.
The choreography will be somewhat of a challenge.
“I’ve danced before,” Fox said. “But I’ve never sung and danced before.”
Skold said that Carter and Biberstein are two exciting additions to the program.
“I didn’t know Cheyenne and I hadn’t heard Joe sing before auditions, and when they got up there and performed I wondered why I hadn’t,” Skold said. “Both of them are wonderfully talented seniors at Freeport and I am thrilled to see them shine. They are a Velma and a Billy to remember.”
Skold promises a vaudeville show “like you ain’t never seen before. These kids are stars!”
The Freeport High School cast of “Chicago” has been busy rehearsing for its upcoming performances at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. Shown here, from left, are Cheyenne Carter, who plays Velma Kelly; Josef Biberstein, who plays the part of Billy Flynn; and Jay Pier, who plays Amos Hart. 
Simon Skold, director of the upcoming Freeport High School production of the musical “Chicago,” shows the cast a few dance steps during rehearsal last week at the Freeport Performing Arts Center.
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