Does Age Make a Difference?

Zellweger (left) and Zeta-Jones in Chicago

 In researching the different productions of Chicago, I've been very interested in the ages of the females performing as Velma and Roxie.  The 2002 movie version of Chicago, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture, represented Velma and Roxie as younger 30-somethings (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger were both 33 when Chicago was released), but this wasn't the case with the original musical production:  Verdon and Rivera were 50 and 42 when Chicago opened on Broadway.

Verdon (left) and Rivera in Chicago

Gwen Verdon was interested in performing in Chicago a long time before she and her husband, Bob Fosse, acquired the rights (and found a concept and songwriting team) to proceed with the musical.  She was in her mid forties when Watkins's estate released the rights in 1969 and hit 50 for the opening of the musical in 1975.  Chita Rivera was 42 at the musical's opening.  The subsequent revival and movie, both more successful than the original, have used younger actresses in the roles of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart (though only slightly younger in the cast of the revival).  Could the age of the original stars have been a factor in the show's luke-warm reception?  And when Liza Minnelli was forced to fill in for Verdon because of illness (she had to have nodes removed from her vocal cords), did the show become more popular because a younger, 29 year old Liza was now playing Roxie, or was it simply Minnelli's star power that revived the show?

Though this is all speculation, I'm interested in how age affects this musical:  it's very likely that the audience sees a fifty year old murderess in a different way than a younger, more innocent 33 year old.  Is there more sympathy there?  I think, yes.  And I think how sympathetic your main characters are is a definite factor in whether audiences will respond well to a piece (and in a piece where murderers are the main attraction, you might need all the sympathy you can get!)  And of course, we can't overlook the fact that Chicago is about (or has become about?) sex, jazz, and beautiful women.  In this regard, younger actresses would traditionally be more suitable.

Neuwirth (left) and Reinking in Chicago

 What do you think? Does age matter at all here? Do you think the ages of the performers had any correlation to the success of the productions?  And does age change the way you view this piece? Or are these characters ageless/representational in the way the original show and the revival were more representational than realistic? And is the show great because so many different actresses can step into these roles?

Below, I've listed the ages of some of the Velmas and Roxies throughout the history of Chicago on stage.  Note that the production today stars women who are 40 and 50--roughly the same age as Verdon and Rivera when they opened the show in 1975. 

Original Murderesses:

Belva Gaertner (inspired Velma Kelly): 39 during murder, trial, and acquittal.

Beulah Annan (inspired Roxie Hart): 23 during murder, trial, and acquittal.

Chicago (play, 1926):

Velma Kelly: Juliette Crosby, 30

Roxie Hart: Francine Larrimore, 28

Chicago (musical, original, 1975):

Velma Kelly: Chita Rivera, 42

Roxie Hart: Gwen Verdon, 50

Chicago (musical, 1999 revival):

Velma Kelly: Bebe Neuwirth, 37

Roxie Hart: Ann Reinking, 47

Chicago (movie musical, 2002):

Velma Kelly: Catherine Zeta-Jones, 33

Roxie Hart: Renee Zellweger, 33

Chicago (musical, today's cast):

Velma Kelly: Amra-Faye Wright, 50

Roxie Hart: Kara DioGuardi, 40