This weekend, Riverdale’s Upper School theater cast will breathe new life into Bob Fosse’s and Fred Ebb’s classic musical, Chicago, which follows the story of “Merry Murderesses” Roxie and Velma through journeys of love and murder as they rise to fame in Chicago during the 1920’s. The director, Upper School drama teacher Ms. Lexie Frare, has adapted the story into a show about social media and the dangers that it poses to our community.
Senior Gia Burgher-George, who plays Matron “Mama” Morton, said, “We see the characters devoting their lives to ‘performing’ and being seen, but at what cost? There is no limit to trying to be the star of the show, and along the way, they make some questionable decisions for our entertainment. This is great, but there are personal backlashes that we don't get to see in their everyday lives, which pushes us to reflect on our own social media usage and how we ‘perform’ every day.” These ideas are deeply relatable to many among the audience, who may also feel a pressure to project a separate, perfect, glossy image on their social media platforms. Senior Dariana Almonte, who plays the protagonist Roxie Hart, explained how the moral of the musical is relevant since everybody at Riverdale is living within the digital media age. Given that we are in our teenage years, Almonte noted, “It’s easy to compare ourselves with other people online and feel like we’re not enough or that we’re not doing enough. But this helps us realize that the internet isn’t a real place.”
Behind the scenes, the cast not only practices their singing, dancing, and acting, but they also develop close relationships with each other. Sophomore Alexis Muchnik, who plays Hunyak, said, “[The musical] gives me a chance to dance and act but also hang out with people that I don’t normally hang out with. I form connections that I wouldn’t have otherwise.” Repurposed for the digital age, Chicago is an ever-relevant cautionary tale on the dangers of social media. Be sure to catch a performance at Riverdale’s Jeslo Harris Theater on Saturday, February 26th at 7pm or Sunday, February 27th at 2pm!
