Local talent ready to shine in Sudbury's gender-bending production of Chicago

One of Broadway's biggest shows Chicago is coming to the Sudbury Theatre Centre stage starting this weekend.

It's big, brassy, and YES Theatre's version of the Tony-winning musical set to be a gender-bending ride full of local talent. 

Set in the 1920s, the story revolves around Roxie Hart, a fame-hungry performer who murders her lover in a fit of rage after he tries to end their affair. Ending up in jail might seem like the end of one's stardom, but instead, her time behind bars becomes her pathway to fame.

"She's a very power hungry gal," said Katie Wise, the leading woman in the musical who will be playing Roxy Hart. 

Wise is a Sudbury native and this is her tenth year working with YES Theatre. 

"The quality of YES Theatre's shows is something you can count on. They do good shows and it's always an entertaining time. Chicago is so presentational, it's a musical vaudeville," she said.

Actor Noah Carniello is returning to the Sudbury Theatre Centre stage after a seven-year hiatus. They are well-known as drag queen Carmen Dior. This summer, they said they're excited to combine their musical theater and drag skills to combine them together. 

"I will be bringing Carmen to the stage for Chicago. It's been a long time, but I grew up here and I grew up in this space, so it's really special for me to be back," Carniello said. 

In the musical, Carniello will be playing the role of Annie, a prisoner in the jail. It's a role that's typically played by women, but Carniello said they're excited to break that mold.

"To have that gender expression, which is something that I experiment on my own in my personal life, that I get to translate into this character on stage, is really awesome. I'm super excited to share something unique that Sudbury hasn't seen before," they said.

Juno-nominated artist Tafari Anthony is taking on a challenge by playing a female role for the first time. He will be playing a murderess named Mona. 

"It's nice to be in a situation where I have other people to play off of and just not be myself for a change," said Anthony. 

The show opens on July 9 at the Sudbury Theatre Centre and will run until August 3.