Chicago Auditions: Youth Edition

Below we have the music and lyrics for all of our principle roles where you can decide which roles you would like to audition for. Please choose only one song to audition with, however, if you would like to be considered for multiple roles please let us know on the audition day.

We also would like to highlight that children/young people of any gender can audition for any of the principle roles and the production is a fully inclusive show.

*Keep checking this page – accompaniment/backing tracks will be available soon

Roxie Hart

Character Description

Roxie is an aspiring vaudeville performer, who stays out late with her entertainment-business-connected love, Fred Casely, hoping to use him to break into the business. Instead she is thrown into Cook County Jail, manipulative to her caring husband. Velma Kelly is one of Roxie’s heroes, and she’s thrilled to meet her when Roxie is thrown into the Cook County Jail, only to discover that her idol wants nothing to do with her. They have a strong rivalry but Roxie will stop at nothing to get her moment in the spotlight. 

Innocent and childish, yet selfish and desperate, Roxie must remain a sympathetic character to the audience despite her flaws. The actor playing Roxie must be an excellent singer, actor and dancer.

Begin track at 01:45

Velma Kelly

Character Description

Velma is a successful nightclub and vaudeville performer. With her sister, she performed a popular double act. That is, until one evening she found out her husband and sister were secretly together. A prisoner in the Cook County Jail. Velma is used to being treated like a celebrity, and uses her fame and money to keep in the good stuff while in prison. But Roxie’s arrival at the jail begins to change that and realises she’s alone for the first time. 

A tough cookie and equally funny, the actor playing Velma must be a true triple threat.

Amos Hart

Character Description

Roxie’s faithful husband, Amos is trusting to a fault. Even after he realises that Roxie has been cheating on him, she manages to convince him to continue to support her. Amos is easily swayed, overly trusting, and to most, completely invisible. His love for Roxie is sincere, even when she deceives him at every turn. Amos is one of the few truly “moral” characters in Chicago, and as such, is put through the wringer. 

While everyone else is caught up in jazz and razzle dazzle, Amos is purely himself — simple and genuine. Must be a strong character actor who can sing well.

Billy Flynn

Character Description

Billy is the female murderesses’ hero in an expensive suit — in all his years as a defence attorney, he hasn’t lost a case for a woman yet. He is philandering, greedy, and selfish, charging $5,000 for his services, no ifs, ands, or buts. Billy is also a ladies’ man, but although he claims that “all he cares about is love,” money is Billy’s true lover.  He is also a master of media manipulation, and has no problems twisting the truth to get the results he wants. 

His “razzle dazzle” is the key to his success. Must sing and dance well.

Matron ‘Mama’ Morton

Character Description

The matron of the women’s ward in the Cook County Jail, “Mama” believes in reciprocity above all. Not an innocent herself, Mama has no problem trading the inmates to benefit herself. Although Mama is selfish, she has compassion for the Hunyak (i.e. Hungarian prisoner Katalin Helinszki ), whom she attempts to help with her limited Hungarian when Aaron, the Hunyak’s lawyer, fails to listen to her. 

The character of Mama is based off wildly famous vaudevillian Sophie Tucker, “When You’re Good to Mama,” To play Mama we need a strong character actor who can sing well.

Mary Sunshine (and other speaking roles)

Character Description

Mary Sunshine is a reporter with a soft spot for Billy Flynn. She believes that everyone has a little bit of good in them, and takes what Billy feeds her hook, line, and sinker. Like a contemporary alarmist talk show host, Mary Sunshine will follow any story with a hint of drama to the very end. 

This role is usually played in drag, but we are fully inclusive for all who bring excellent comedy and sparkle this character. 

*Mary Sunshine audition lyrics are in bold, for other speaking roles please learn the Reporter lyrics