[B그라운드] From Roxy to Belmar Choi Jeong-won and Yun Gong-ju, someday Roxys who will come to Belmar Ivy, Tiffany Young, Min Kyungah… Musical’Chicago’: Bridge Economy, a companion in the age of 100

Cast of the musical’Chicago’. From left, Kim Gyeong-seon in the role of Mama Morton, Billy Flynn Choi Jae-rim, Roxy Hart Tiffany Young, Velma Kelly Choi Jeong-won, Roxy Hart Ivy, Velma Kelly Yun Gong-ju, Roxy Hart Min Kyung-ah, Billy Flynn Park Gun-hyung, Mama Morton Kim Young-joo (photo by Mi-sun Heo)

“I feel rejuvenated by the overflowing talents of the actors who work with the noble work of’Chicago’, which is cute and lovely, lacking but perfect.”

Choi Jeong-won, who said in a press call for the musical’Chicago’ (Daesung D Cube Art Center until July 18) held at Daesung D Cube Art Center in Guro-gu, Seoul on the 6th, said, “Wear a mask for two and a half months, apply hand sanitizer, and practice without privacy. He said, “I felt the joy of being born in my mother’s stomach,” he said, saying, “I ran on the stage waiting for the first performance.”

“(During’Chicago’) The moment I got up on the lift, I felt crushed. Why is this scene so happy even though I have been doing it for 21 years? The audience understands all the satire, humor, and black comedy of this work, so I am happy that the actor and the audience seem to be making it together.”

Musical’Chicago’ Velma Kelly Choi Jeong-won (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company)

The musical’Chicago’ is based on a play (original title A Brave Little Woman) by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a writer and playwright of the’Chicago Tribune’, based on an actual event in Cook County in 1926. Set in the back alleys of Chicago in the 1920s, a turbulent period in the 1920s, where joy and materialism dominated, it cheerfully and sharply satirizes the era of struggling with love and hatred, betrayal, temptation and murder, male-centered morality, and appearanceism.

The masterpiece of Bob Fosse, who sublimated physical defects into choreography, murdered her husband and younger sister who committed an affair, and was imprisoned in Chicago’s Cook County Prison, Belma Kelly (Jung-won Choi and Gong-ju Yun, joining the following seasons, in order of Kanada), and the government. Roxy Hart (Ivy, Min Kyung-ah, Tiffany Young), who was imprisoned and imprisoned, Billy Flynn (Park Gun-hyung, Choi Jae-rim), and prison guards, Mama Morton (Kim Kyung-seon and Kim Young-ju), are woven around the two women.

Musical’Chicago’ Mama Morton Kim Young-joo (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company)

In the press call,’All That Jazz’ (Jungwon Choi),’All I Care About’ (Geonhyung Park),’Roxie’ (Tiffany Young), and’We Boss Rich for the Gun’ (We Both Reached for The Gun, Kyungah Min and Jaerim Choi) and’Hot Honey Rag/Finale’ (Gongju Yoon, Ivy) were highlighted.

◇ 21st year full attendance Jeongwon Choi and Gyeongsun Kim, Gongju Yoon from Roxy to Velmar, 5th Roxy Ivy

“I think musical’Chicago’ is the first to learn, but there is no one. Kim Gyeong-seon, who has been with us since the premiere, was also Catalin Hugnac, who shouted innocence 20 years ago.”

As the death row prisoner Catalin Hugnac, who appealed for resentment until the end of 2001, has been playing with Kim Young-joo as Mama Morton since 2018, there is no actor who plays the musical’Chicago’ once.

Choi Jung-won, who joined’Chicago’ with Roxy Heart at the premiere in 2000, has been working as Velma Kelly for 21 years since 2007, and Gong-Joo Yoon, who was Roxy Heart in 2012, changed her role to Velma Kelly in 2021. Kim Gyeong-seon also started as’the youngest’ Mama Morton at the premiere, and has been with’Chicago’ for 21 years, and Ivy has been on the stage with the fifth Roxy Heart since 2012.

Jeong-won Choi said, “It is a work with lyrics and lines and characters that we call choreography or dance, but with body expressions and characters, especially Roxy and Velma, whose dreams are to stand on the stage hoping for someone to love.” I’m doing it.”

“If I fall out of’Chicago’, I have the idea that I am not alive on the stage anymore. It is such a work for me. I don’t usually do plastic surgery or take medicine, but if I can do’Chicago’ for a long time, it’s a challenge. When the time comes and I watch’Chicago’ in the auditorium, I think I will cry.”

Musical’Chicago’ Mama Morton Kim Gyeong-seon (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company)

Then he added, “It’s the most beautiful performance to express, giving me a lot of gifts and praise.” Kim Gyeong-seon, who has been working since the premiere, said about’Chicago’ as “a work that taught the actor Kim Gyeong-seon,” and Mama Morton expressed it as “a life cast.”

“Starting as the youngest mom, I’m approaching mom step by step as I get older with’Chicago’. I strengthen my determination to grow little by little with each season, but every time (season) is over, I feel sorry for it.”

Gong-ju Yoon, who changed roles from Roxy to Velmar, said, “I felt the charm of’Chicago’ to my heart’s content while practicing this time, and it was fun.” Said. He also added, “I think I’m getting a great help in understanding this work as Velma by doing Roxy.”

Musical’Chicago’ Roxy Heart Ivy (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company)

Ivy, who is on the fifth stage with Roxy Heart, said, “Because there is no fancy stage or costume, it is a work that is more burdensome.” “At the first performance, I was so nervous that I thought my heart was next to my ears. It was hard enough to cause tinnitus, but I was able to finish it well with the power of the ensemble.”

“Since Roxy Hart is the first triple cast, I have a lot of troubles this season as I watch other actors perform. The number of’Chicago’ is not a flashy song with a tremendous high pitch. It’s a simple piece that has a limit to what it can be shown in a song. Since it is a work based on Roxy’s story, how can I truly tell the story of Roxy, I wish I could draw a dream in the minds of the audience in order to make Roxy, who may seem nasty, look lovely… It was the first time I had to worry all night like this season.”

Gong-ju Yun (left) and Min Kyeong-ah of Roxy Hart (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company) as Velma Kelly in the musical’Chicago’

◇Roxy Heart Min Kyung-ah and Tiffany Young’s first bitter sweet’Chicago’

“I think Roxy Hart was a big change in my actor’s life and a starting point for growth.”

Min Kyung-ah, who joined’Chicago’ for the first time with Roxy Heart, confessed, “I was so grateful,” and “At first, it was too burdensome, so I thought too much.”

“The director said,’Do what you do,’ but in fact it was very difficult. The day after I cried a lot in the practice room, Tiffany’s sister cried.”

“Rather than trying to do something more realistically, I tried to be faithful to what I really wanted to say (Roxy). I thought of Roxy as a social underdog who wanted to stand on stage, but wasn’t given a chance. So I thought about what I wanted to say more desperately and why I had to act like this.”

In the words of Min Kyung-ah, Tiffany Young also said, “Director’s biggest direction was’You must love and protect your Roxy as much as possible.'” I wanted to do it.”

“These days, I’m watching the script again after the show every day. Whenever I see it, I feel and learn like a work called’Chicago’. ‘Chicago’ is love. I enjoy practicing every day and on-site. Not only on stage, but also on the backstage, it’s a place full of fighting and giving inspiration and energy.”

Tiffany Young as Roxy Hart in the musical’Chicago’ (Photo Credit=Shinshi Company)

He said, “It was the stage I dreamed of, and it was a role,” he said. “On the day of the first performance (Girls’ Generation), I started the morning with the words’It was your real dream.’

“Director, I learned to focus on storytelling with each of the actors. During that time, I was up and drunk. I thought you were very young. I’m trying to tell a story on stage with all my heart.”

Reporter Mi-sun Heo [email protected]