Chicago @ Lindenwold High School

The scene is lit with red lights as a blonde curly-haired woman accompanies a gentleman up the stairs to her bedroom. The two seem to be enjoying themselves when all of a sudden, BANG! FLASH!... The lights go out on the couple, and Lindenwold High School's production of Chicago: Teen Edition begins.

Chicago, the musical, is based on a 1926 play and was written in the mid 1970s. It first came to Broadway in 1975 under the direction of renowned choreographer Bob Fosse. It was revived in 1996, taking home the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and is now the longest-running show currently on Broadway. The story follows housewife Roxie Hart and showgirl Velma Kelly, who are both convicted of murder. Roxie has a dream to become famous, and wants her name in the lights, so when she meets Velma, the girl whose name is in lights, she does everything in her power (and with the help of her amazing attorney, Billy Flynn) to ensure that Velma's fame is hers.

Chicago is a very well-known musical, with many of the songs being popularized today. So one's knowledge of this musical should be its choreography and how it is very specific to the type of style that Fosse was known for. Dance captain Maanami Sabree did a superb job of capturing that style, while also making it unique to them. The dancers in big numbers, like "All That Jazz" and "They Both Reached For The Gun" and moved as a unit rather than individuals.

Roxie Hart, played by Lucero Jaramillo-Sánchez, portrayed her character very well. Jaramillo-Sánchez harnessed her character's desire for stardom in every scene she was in, by showing desperation, exaggeration, and even spite to the characters in the scene. Velma Kelly, played by Saleema Sabree, floored the audience with her powerhouse voice. Sabree, without exaggeration, brought the character Velma Kelly to life. Sabree's versatility is unmatched, being able to have that sassy star attitude, and still be able to show her weaknesses and vulnerability makes her character's development much more enjoyable.

Although the show revolves around Roxie and Velma, two other stars that cannot be overlooked are Jayden Garcia-Hernandez (Billy Flynn) and Amani Williams-Priestley (Mama Morton). Jayden encapsulated the audience with his renditions of "They Both Reached For The Gun" and "All I Care About Is Love" by maintaining excellent breath control and sustaining long notes. Amani delivered hysterical comedic relief and was an excellent "buffer" to intense scenes.

Despite "All That Jazz" of acting and singing (though very important), something equally important is the technical elements of a show, and Lindenwold High School has quite an array. Notable tech elements include lighting, which was done by lighting designer Easton Natalio-Kisielnicki, who was responsible for creating and executing 250+ light cues (which is not easy for a high school production). The costumes done by the Flapper Fashionistas (Taj Young, Angeli Bonilla, Saleema Sabree, Maanami Sabree, Ileana Méndez, Lucero Jaramillo Sánchez) did an excellent job staying true to the style from that time period.

"The Verdict" of this show is...guilty! Guilty for being too good. The cast did an amazing job bringing their characters to life, and the crew did a fantastic job with all the elements this show calls for.