Audiences were dazzled by Walt Whitman High School’s production of the musical “Chicago.” Every April, the school’s Center Stage Productions brings the South Huntington community a classic musical.  “Chicago” tells the story of two women, Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, locked up in the city’s Cook County jail in the 1920s jazz age who desperately want fame, even if it takes being accused of murder to get it.  Add in slick lawyer Billy Flynn, who manipulates their stories to feed a scandal-hungry public by whipping up the media into writing sensationalized headlines across the city.

Walt Whitman’s director/choreographer Dr. Susan Turner Radin, affectionately known to all her students as “Turner,” has always wanted to stage “Chicago” at Whitman.  She’s been teaching dance at the high school for 23 years.  Walt Whitman is one of only a few high schools on Long Island that still offers dance classes as part of its Arts curriculum.

Turner says choosing a show every year is like putting together a puzzle. “You have a group and you kind of have an idea of what they're capable of. And I try to choose a show that I know I will be able to cast. I have to take into account how many girls I have.  How many boys do I have?  Who can dance, who can sing and dance, who can sing, act, and dance?  And then you listen to the auditions and you take all the puzzle pieces and you start moving them around the board,” explained Turner.  

She knew she had the right mix of talent this year to stage the acclaimed musical that first premiered on Broadway back in 1975.  Bob Fosse’s choreography is iconic and, as Turner wrote in the program “producing any version of Chicago without it, is unthinkable.”  With the help of Dance Captain and high school senior Morgan O’Donoghue, the cast had to learn Fosse’s original choreography to the best of their ability from old footage.  Turner admitted she also added a little “Whitman flare” to the choreography.  “I knew I had great dancers.  A lot of the kids that were on stage for this production I’ve had in my dance classes for three and four years,” said Turner.   

One of the lead actors who has not been in Turner’s dance classes for years and admitted to being a little nervous about learning the iconic choreography was Gracie DeMarinis in the challenging role of Velma Kelly.  “I spent every free period I had in the dance room practicing all the dances, and I worked really hard.  I definitely improved my dancing, but there were times when I kind of thought I wasn't going to be able to get it.  But then the more the rehearsal process went on, the more I felt ‘I'm going to be able to do it and it's going to look great,’” said Gracie.

Great choreography needs great music and the Pit Orchestra provided it!  The jazzy, 1920s-era, vaudevillian score features well known songs like “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” and “Razzle Dazzle.”   Whitman’s 26-piece pit ensemble, made up of our talented students and two teachers, was conducted by Music and Art Department Chairman, Matt Hoffman. They brought the audience back to the Roaring 20s right from the opening note of the overture.

No production is complete without all the behind-the-scenes talent - the set design and construction, props, lighting design, and sound design, and backstage crew support.

Huge thanks go out to “Chicago’s” production staff and crew, including Whitman’s Lamplighters and their advisor Mr. Vito Monti, for making sure the production looked and sounded great, and ran smoothly.  

Cast (in order of appearance)
Gracie DeMarinis, Noah Mulcahy, Lucy Maniatis, Phil Clark, Cristhian Interiano Monge, Anna Braglia, Morgan O'Donoghue, Emily Butterfield, Sarah Pratt, Jordin Rubin, Marygrace Reilly, Ethan Thody, Lillian Dwyer, Francesca Padovan, Hector Vargas, Chris Portillo Gomez, and Natalia Morales

Dance Ensemble: Tessa Binsol, Gabby Cali, Ava Campagna, Camila Canales, Emmaleigh Goldfarb, Mia Gunsel, Jack Kongevold, Joe Maye, Morgan O'Donoghue, Anna Sabellico, Kate Sabellico, and Samantha Szwedo

Production Staff and Crew
Director, Costume Design and Business Manager Dr. Susan Turner Radin, Choreographer(s) Bob Fosse, Turner, Musical Director Mr. Matthew Hoffman, Vocal Director Mr. Greg Modelewski, Dance Captain Morgan O' Donoghue, Costume Design Dr. Susan Turner Radin, Costume Assistants Angelina Lorente, Lighting Designer Mr. Sam Kessler, Lighting Assistant Ava Hedstrom, Set Construction by Brian Barteld of Barteld Productions, Sound Design and Tech by John Andreoni of SDE Productions, Sound Assistant Jeremy Canales, Lamplighter Advisor Mr. Vito Monti, Stage Manager Angelee Cordova Palma, Set/Asst. Stage Managers Lilah Black and Giuliana Bausano, Prop Master Chris Portillo Gomez, Prop Assistant Brandon Salazar, Backstage Crew: Olivia Barrett, Madeleine Bas, Ava Tulipano, Frankie Monez, Lighting Crew: Ava Hedstrom, Daniel Alvarez Nunez, Spotlights: Jennifer Mendez Cuellar and Julissa Galdames Sorto, Makeup and Hair Design by Camila Canales, Liana Chetty, Katerin Figueroa Flores, Angelina Lorente, Alexandra Lynde, Marin McDonnell, and Gabriella Varellas.

Pit Orchestra
Violin: Nathalie Robson, Riley Compagno;  Viola: Jack Biblow;  Cello: Julia Dean;  Bass: Analia Cimadevilla;  Flute/Piccolo: Jacianna Chiechi, Isabel Rassman, Alyssa Vozza;  Clarinets and Saxes: Bronsyn Chiechi, Emily Voorhest;  Tenor Sax: Matteo Sandoval;  Bari Sax: Chase Loomis;  Trumpet: Kate Adams, Sean Haritonides, Enoch Adjahoe, Asad Sadiq, Mr. Joseph Vetack;  Trombone: Andreas Psarris, Jose Canas Garcia, Derek Busch, Tyler Biblow;  Baritone: Luke DeMarinis;  Tuba: Jake Gurba;  Guitar: Will Lang;  Drums: Cristian Ortez;  Piano: Mr. Greg Modelewski 

See photos from Chicago here!

Gracie DeMarinis (left) as Velma Kelly, with Marygrace Reilly (right) in her role as Matron Mama Morton.

Senior Ethan Thoday played Billy Flynn, the highly sought after attorney in Chicago.

Phil Clark singing “Mr. Cellophane” in Act II.

Lucy Maniatis rocked being Roxie!