Page 57 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2025 - Online Magazine

MUSIC & ART

CHICAGO Q&A

with

Ellie Roddy

(Roxie Hart)

Buddy Holly Hall | May 16-18th

1. Please tell us a bit about your astonishing choreography. What is So many incredible women have
history as a performer. your favorite song to perform and filled these shoes, and I only
why? dreamed I’d get here one day. I have
I am originally from Orlando, and grown so much being a part of the
I am fortunate to have grown up Short answer? All of them. Each CHICAGO family, and I am still
in such a saturated place to learn number I get to perform has learning something new every day.
and train. My journey with theatre something different to offer! I Working with legends like Gregory
started when I was 11 in an after- love getting to dance and sing Me Butler, David Hyslop, and Robert
school program. I [continued to and My Baby, getting to be Billy’s Billig has made me a stronger
study] with different acting and ventriloquist dummy in We Both performer.
vocal coaches and dance studios. I Reached for the Gun, and I love to
also worked at Universal and Disney perform Hot Honey Rag (original 6. What do you think makes this
in shows such as the Hogwarts School choreography by Bob Fosse). show a smash hit?
Choir and Finding Nemo: The Musical.
That real-life experience was the 4. Congratulations on your It’s a legacy. It is one of the best-
best teacher I could have asked for. National Tour debut! What is your written stories in musical theatre
In 2023 I moved to New York City favorite thing about being on the history, and the same goes for the
to pursue the dream of being on road? score. The music and choreography
Broadway! are iconic. The [musical] is like a
It’s a dream come true. I’m really time capsule, yet still incredibly
2. How did you prepare to take on enjoying all of the different theatres relevant to this day.
the famed role of Roxie Hart? we play. Getting to step onto a stage
which so many other incredible 7. What should audiences expect to
I saw the Broadway production performers have graced is nothing take away from the production?
for the first time in 2015. It was my short of spectacular. Each theatre is
dream to do the show in that version rich with history, and it’s cool getting I hope they walk out of the show
with that choreography since I had to be a part of that history. humming some of the tunes from
trained in Fosse style. I pushed the show and reminisce about the
myself with endurance training and 5. CHICAGO is the #1 longest- dance spectacles, as well as the story.
more dance classes. running American musical in The message? Be careful what you
Broadway history. What’s it like see on the news/TV/internet. It may
3. This show is packed with to be involved in such an iconic not be all that it seems!
showstopping songs and production?

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