Chicago (musical)

Chicago is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. Set in Chicago in the Jazz Age, the musical is based on the 1926 play of the same name by Maurine Dallas Watkins, then a journalist covering the city's courthouse beat. A satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice, the plot follows felons who manipulate their stories to develop celebrity status.

The original Broadway production opened in June 1975 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 936 performances, closing in August 1977. Fosse directed and choreographed the original production, and his style is strongly identified with the show. The original West End production opened in 1979, running for 600 performances.

The ongoing 1996 revival of Chicago is the longest-running show currently on Broadway, holding the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The lengthy run ranks second only to The Phantom of the Opera, having surpassed Cats on November 23, 2014, upon its 7,486th performance. The 1997 West End revival became the longest-running American musical in West End history. Chicago has been staged in numerous productions around the world, and has toured extensively in the United States and United Kingdom. The musical's 2002 film adaptation won the Academy Award for Best Picture.