Much has changed perhaps since the era where our story was set. Just click Like on our official Facebook page, MusicalsOnline.com, and follow us on Twitter @musicalsnews. In the 2002 film, he was portrayed by Richard Gere, who also played Dennis Peck in Internal Affairs. Character description, analysis and casting breakdown for Billy Flynn from Chicago. When she finds out he's a two-timing liar, she guns him down, and gets a one-way ticket to Death Row, already inhabited by Velma and overseen by Mama. "If Jesus Christ had lived in Chicago," he explains, "and if he'd had $5,000, and had come to me--things would have turned out differently." Flynn has staying power. He knows that he possesses the kind of razzle-dazzle thats necessary to make it in this city.Profession lawyer, currently representing murderer Roxie Hart. In the original Broadway version of the musical, he was portrayed by the late Jerry Orbach, who also played Sa'Luk in Disney's Aladdin and the King of Thieves, and King . Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring He has a strong speaking ability, lots of energy and presence. Amos is not very good looking and he is not very Smart. It features Billy Flynn, the corrupt lawyer Roxie Hart, as he attempts to turn her trial into a media circus. The multi-platinum. There's an inspired scene of ventriloquism and puppetry at a press conference, with all of the characters dangling from strings. Zellweger is not a born hoofer, but then again Roxie Hart isn't supposed to be a star; the whole point is that she isn't, and what Zellweger invaluably contributes to the role is Roxie's dreamy infatuation with herself, and her quickly growing mastery of publicity. Nationality. Billy Flynn is just in it for the money. He is Roxie Harts husband. lv>Flt-GOa5s(IqHH0b0r@{#@|gXK Famous, infamous, it doesnt make any difference for her as long as shes on the front page. Arrogant and self-centered, she rebuffs the admiration and adulation that Roxie gave her. This Character will be performed by someone from the ensemble. Billy Flynn has been a mainstay on the Chicago blues circuit since the mid-80's. In a typical set he'll segue from sophisticated Texas jump blues into raw Delta or postwar-Chicago style sounds. When you write a character analysis, you must define that character's role. v Yl`t@GVL;yaX 2?m[-"rfi07G,C_x;J`'.1sd(S!l9F72D"Zr'% 1.O2be'.o1AHrb Rca4z%{M0AW#?F2qNA% ,1*1sL,#_!bD,G L$j3M9XRfA_\KL7+Ia~ELSfiZUSC. She kills her boyfriend in her apartment after coming home and finding him with two girls. She doesnt have the brain. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Upgrade to PRO Chicago: All That Jazz (Official Video) Chicago . Billy will take any case as long as it is sure to put money in his pocket. . Best known as the sweetie little jazz murderess, called by her lawyer Billy Flinn. Its the best thing about this musical. That's about $60,000 in modern day buckaroos. New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. And of course, Roxie Hart, the heart (pun intended) for the murder case that Flynn has spun into a media spectacle. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Thats one thing he can manage to be honest about. Tu direccin de correo electrnico no ser publicada. You can watch it like you listen to an album, over and over; the same phenomenon explains why "Moulin Rouge" was a bigger hit on DVD than in theaters. But when Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger) also winds up in prison, Billy takes on her case as well - turning her into a media circus of headlines. But that was the only time it was used. Chicago.docx - Aristotle's analytical model puts the plot. (Avoiding Spoilers) Grew up in cynical times. She herself shows a certain genius in the process, as when she dramatically reveals she is pregnant with Amos' child, a claim that works only if nobody in the courtroom can count to nine. Beware Terrible view from normal price balcony seats Phantom of the Opera Her Majesty's Theatre, Top 30 Most Influential People in Musical Theater. Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago. CHICAGO the Musical is based off the 1926 play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, the reporter assigned to cover the 1924 trials of murderesses Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner. Richard Gere is Billy Flynn, the slick, high-priced attorney who boasts he can beat any rap, for a $5,000 fee. Currently the second longest-running show on Broadway, the 1996 revival of Chicago boasts a long list of celebrities who have stepped into its leading roles. The film has budget on its side, and you would be forgiven for buying into the razzle dazzle; but the comparative shabbiness of the showcurrently running at the Phoenix Theatre, London, undermines the audiences ability to suspend their disbelief. He is joined in the cast by "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" winner Jinkx Monsoon who plays Mistress Morton. Fred Ebb When a murdering heiress steals Roxies limelight, a vignette of the crime shows a cheating husband yelling at his outraged wife: Are you gonna believe what you see, or what I tell ya? 144/11. NEW YORK (AP) - R&B superstar Usher makes his Broadway debut on Aug. 22 in Chicago, playing that slick, seductive lawyer, Billy Flynn in the John Kander-Fred Ebb musical. C.bjfW{wy&-E0i8U`zmMm/+Z3'kW-TUS &s^&1!.!.IQk Part Size: Supporting. He was born on May 29, 1985, and shares his birthday with basketball player Carmello Anthony and the late President John F. Kennedy. Ian Kelsey as Billy Flynn in 'Chicago, The Musical' (2006) Uli Weber. Sarcastic, sexy, tough, funny. "Chicago" is a Musical with music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The singer/songwriter known for songs like "Hip to Be Square," "The Heart of Rock & Roll," and "I Want a New Drug" played Billy Flynn in . American. . Unfortunately, your shopping bag is empty. Police detective who interviews Amos after Roxie kills Fred. When we support each other, believe each other, and raise up our voices together,thenwe truly triumph. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. According to all our favourite depictions of this time, it was one of sexual liberation, misbehaving women, and the heady, corrupting, influence of jazz music and abundant liquor. He is also flamboyant and narcissistic in the way that he can tell he is superior to everyone around him and always uses his charisma to assist him whenever possible. She killed her husband with a carving knife after he found out she cheated on him. Manipulated easily, Amos is the only character in Chicago whose motives are entirely pure, never selfish and hes the only character who really loses ultimately. If you get the opportunity to see it live, do it. Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse; Music by John Kander; Lyrics by Fred Ebb; Based on the play . And what a good idea to cast Queen Latifah in the role of Mama, the prison matron; she belts out "When You're Good to Mama" with the superb assurance of a performer who knows what good is and what Mama likes. Instead of interrupting the drama with songs, Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon stage the songs more or less within Roxie's imagination, where everything is a little more supercharged than life, and even lawyers can tap-dance. Go to the shop Go to the shop. Ha rd e n e d b y f a me , Maybe because it has worked before. musical villains mashup // 20+ shows ???? Chicago Character Descriptions V E L MA KE L L Y : F e ma l e , 2 5 -4 0 (Ra n g e : Al to , E 3 -D5 ) V a u d vi l l e p e rf o rme r wh o i s a ccu se d o f mu rd e ri n g h e r si st e r a n d h u sb a n d . xZMo6W\`e .z(zk+QH}-MflY)z2h3`~n1qv?? "My great-grandmother and I would play dress up," recounts Flynn. There is a story. And she found a way to make a bad situation work out for her like realizing how she can be the toast of the town despite being in jail which brings us to the next factor that made this musical such a hit. Lawyers William Scott Stewart and W. W. O'Brien were models for a composite character in Chicago, "Billy Flynn". Roxie was only too happy to turn her down as she was just returning the favor. character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! These are small roles that will be played by members of the chorus and the dance ensemble. Nora would force him inside the . Stream #DaysofourLives exclusively on @PeacockTV beginning this Monday September 12th. My client feels that it was the combination of liquor and jazz that led to her downfall.Billy to the reporters in his campaign for Roxie's defence. Billy knows the secret to getting public opinion on his side: turn the whole trial into a show! Velma Kelly and her sister Veronica had a double-act at "The Onyx", but one night before their show Velma caught her husband Charlie in the act with her sister Veronica, so she . Sweetest little jazz killer in Chicago. Now comes word they'll be adding a plus one . She is an aspiring actress who gets into trouble with the law after murdering a man she was having an affair with and enlists the help of Billy Flynn to get her out of jail and into spotlight as a star She was portrayed by Gwen Verdon in the 1975 musical, and by Rene Zellweger in its 2002 film adaptation . BUY TICKETS. Can she get off? And it gets me thinking about several factors that made the repeat viewings worth it. Sometimes I consider her character as a commentary about journalists that got so persuaded with one presentation of the case that they almost went biased towards it. Accused of chopping off her husbands head. EPISODE 070 CHICAGO MUSIC REVEALED with Mike Jeffers and special guest host Dave Katzman for our Chicago Blues and Beyond segment. When Roxie found out the true, she killed him with a gun. Bob Fosse Yeah, it is a parody of the legal system but the main reason why it succeeded in being funny is because of the truth found there. Killers were romanticized or vilified, cops and lawyers and reporters lived in each other's pockets, and newspapers read like pulp fiction. Charming, funny, vulnerable, timid man. Thanks for reading. Chicago Play Critique Character Analysis. Character from the 1927 play Chicago Billy Flynn (at right) as portrayed by Jerry Orbach in the Broadway adaptation , 1976 District Attorney who is prosecuting Roxie. So its not just a series of jazzed up song-and-dance numbers. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Hugh Jackman was apparently offered the role, but declined due to him thinking that he was too young. Cause that sells more papers!Billy during his argument with Roxie. At least, in Chicago The Musical, there are song-and-dance numbers around. Kelly Osbourne as Mama Morton 'Chicago, The Musical' (2006) . Chicago. He is furnitures salesman and a regular guy, but hed promised Roxie to take her to the show business. She killed her boyfriend after she found out he was sleeping around. In prison, she develops a rivalry with the star Velma Kelly, who killed her own husband . Please enable Javascript and hit the button below! Some things haven't changed indeed. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Get Roxie acquitted for her murder of her lover Fred Casely, Kang the Conqueror (Marvel Cinematic Universe). In the musical, Flynn sings three songs. The original non-musical play, Chicago, was written in 1926 by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, based on two actual 1924 murder cases. Roxie's simpering sap of a husband, Amos, ponies up some of the cash, and Billy Flynn decides to auction off some Roxie memorabilia to make up the difference. She was known for having a performing act with her sister Veronica, but she killed her husband and her sister after finding them together. Its already 2015. One number thats left out of the 2002 movie is My Own Best Friend, which Alexandra Burke and Josefina Gabrielle bring to life on stage at the Phoenix. Theatrical Song. The vaudeville is perfect for a caricature of 1920s Chicago, where life seemed to occur exclusively in the seductive smog of jazz bars, and rejecting the moral norms of previous decades wastrs la mode. He has never lost a case involving a female defendant in his whole career, but in turn charges high fees for his services ($5,000), demands payment in full up-front, and never takes pro bono work. And that says a lot about some lawyers from the Prohibition Era from this musical is set to today. During the movie he is seen in the audience during the final number applauding Roxie and Velma. She then realized the extent of her arrogance once Roxie pointed out to her that shes been pushed off the front page. The movie Chicago is a jazz type musical film full of murders, lies, sex and romance. Hes also not above putting words in his clients mouths, if they arent telling their story the way he want them to.Interests money. The Flynn has been at the center of Vermont's cultural landscape for 90 years. The Chicago from Broadway design relies on three guiding principles: 1. Billy is a lot like a Hollywood Agent. Definitely the kind of lawyer you would hire because his antics can work to your, hes worth the money paid.