‘Chicago’ — Doing ‘Hamilton’ Casting Since 1975

Songwriters

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A few years later I moved to New York and revisited Chicago. While I realize the production gets a lot of flak for its so-called “celebrity stunt casting,” often these guest stars have been people of color: Brandy, Wayne Brady, Nene Leakes, Brian McKnight, to name a handful. Curious about the show’s casting process, I spoke with Barry Weissler, lead producer of the current revival, which is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary on the Great (Not All)-White Way. He explained that every time they need a new performer, they approach the role as if it’s being cast for the very first time. “First they have to be able to cut it, to know how to sing, dance, and have charisma,” he explained. “Once that’s established, I could put a woman as Billy Flynn, I can put Asian actors, African Americans, it doesn’t matter, as long as they can tell the story and do it in an accomplished way. We think big and have had such great fortune bringing people into the fold.”

Why, then, isn’t the show more frequently praised for its expert color-blind casting when that’s clearly one of its hallmarks? Yes, the achievement of Hamilton is undeniable and, perhaps, more subversive given the white historical figures the actors of color are playing. Yet, as evidenced by the casting of its Mexican stars, Chicago continues to break new ground. Who knows? Maybe Chicago will give some other musical-loving kid who’s never seen himself represented onstage the same revelatory experience I had 13 years ago.

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Jose Solís is a NY-based writer/editor who’s been writing professionally about theatre and film since 2003. He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and the Drama Desk. Follow him at @josesolismayen. Follow TDF at @TDFNYC.

Top Image: Bianca Marroquin and Tony Yazbeck in Chicago. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

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JOSE SOLÍS