The musical Chicago roared into town last Thursday night at Eisenhower Auditorium and played to a full house. The show was thrilling, but not as great as I had hoped.

Chicago kicked off with a scantily clad young lady introducing the audience to the night's main theme of the plot — murder. Velma Kelly, played by Heather Parcells, got the ball rolling with the first song of the night, "All that Jazz." That song is just a fabulous song — the lyrics, the music, the dancing — everything is just great about it.

Parcells truly made me excited for the rest of the show to come, until we were introduced to Roxie Hart, played by Tonya Wathen. She wasn't a bad actress, but not nearly as strong as Kelly.

Wathen sang well and danced great, but she did not have the fire or energy that I expected for the role of Hart. She simply did not have enough stage presence to match that of Parcells. I understand that Hart is supposed to be a naïve, two-bit dancer at the beginning of the show and is not supposed to match up to Kelly in the first place. But even at the end, when they were supposed to be equals, I did not believe it.

Another actor that did not thrill me and simply did not have enough charisma for his role was Billy Flynn, Hart's attorney, played by an understudy.

The ideal performer for this role would have been Robert Goulet. The character calls for the lounge-lizard type, a smooth-talking ladies man. The understudy did not have these qualities. Yes, he was a replacement for that night's performance, but he is a professional and should be able to assume the role at a moment's notice.

Stewart Brown, who played the role of Amos Hart, was magnificently casted. He performed his role of the "invisible" husband to Hart perfectly. His only solo, "Mister Cellophane," expressed the anonymity he has felt all his life. Brown added just the right touch of satire and whimsy to help his role steal the show.

Except for the two leads who I did not feel were very strong, I felt that the ensemble as a whole was great. The group of six ladies who performed the song "Cell Block Tango" were excellent in their lascivious dance steps, not to mention their pleas of innocence against their murder charges.

The dancing was impeccable and unmatched by any other show I have ever seen.

Bob Fosse, the original choreographer, was a master at his art form. Anne Reinking did a wonderful job of recreating his original movements

I don't believe that there is any other style of dance as distinctive or recognizable as his. There were times when I wanted to leap out of my seat and start dancing along with the cast.

The slightly pigeon-toed strut by Kelly in the first song, "All that Jazz" was enticing and catlike. No one can ever forget the expressiveness of the hands, that Fosse's dancers must use, they are probably the most discernible trait in his style.

The rest of the show was full of references to Fosse's dance style, like Bowler hats and a soft-shoe routine by three cigarette-smoking studs. During the song "Mister Cellophane" Brown donned a pair of white gloves to help enhance the expressiveness of his hands, a classic Fosse move.

One aspect of shows that rarely is given recognition was an integral part of this show, the orchestra. Often an orchestra is hidden in a pit below the stage and does not receive applause until the bows are taken. For this show, however, they were front and center on the stage and the focal point of the set.

The orchestra was set up in a big-band type scene, like one would have been found in a nightclub in the mid-1920s. They were often integrated into the show with jokes and even the conductor acted as a normal actor would. They went as far as to play exit music for many of the characters when they called for it.

They were essential in helping to break down the fourth wall, and they interacted with the audience on a regular basis. Throughout the entire show, actors and dancers had conversations with the audience and included them in the jokes. I believe that breaking down the fourth wall helps many to enjoy the performance a great deal more and makes for a lasting positive theater impression.

Going into the show I had many high expectations, several of them were met, but a few were left unsatisfied. The few aspects of the show, however, that were lacking did not take away from my evening. I thought that the show was amazing and the greatest achievement of the performance was the choreography.