Murder is central to Chicago, the tantalizing Tony winning musical that is 12 years into its current Broadway revival. The nefarious tale has a classic he-loved-her-then-done-her-wrong plot –– with a twist: a has-been chorine, Mrs. Amos (Roxie) Hart, offs her cheating lover, is slapped in the slammer, and winds up in a trial that is more circus than legal proceeding courtesy of a media that in 1920's Chicago moved with alacrity from one celebrity scandal to another like bees pollinating flowers.

But before Roxie takes the stand, she must deal with lock-up where she’s
surrounded by a bevy of man-slaying broads, including the notorious Velma Kelly, the big house’s current homicidal prima donna.

In the "Cell Block Tango" number, the femmes fatales take turns rationalizing their actions clad in slinky black outfits –– clearly not standard prison issue. Sans remorse they belt out, "He had it coming/He only had himself to blame/If you'd have been there/If you'd have seen it/I betcha you would have done the same."

While incarcerated, Roxie (Michelle DeJean), meets the unapologetically corrupt Matron “Mama” Morton who in turn points her to the slickest lawyer in town, Billy Flynn (Jeff McCarthy).

“It’s a great part because Flynn is such an enigmatic character,” said McCarthy. “You’re never sure as to whether he’s evil or actually cares about his clients – or if he’s being sarcastic when he says he’s just in it for the money. Whoever is playing the role can make his own decision as to how dark to go.”

The opportunity for actors to put their individual stamp on Flynn, or any of the roles in Chicago, comes often on Broadway with a new performer stepping into the musical about every two weeks. "Considering the legend of theater egos, this show is amazing,” McCarthy said. “Because you can go from the ensemble to the lead and back to the ensemble, the people here have no choice but to let go of the actor ego thing."

This is particularly interesting when you consider the amount of self-centeredness oozing from so many of the show’s characters. Roxie is so certain murder is her best path to fame and fortune – and the vaudeville career that has eluded her – she sings, "The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Roxie." Billy makes his grand entrance Busby Berkeley-style, basking in the spotlight, surrounded by adoring chorus girls. Velma spends a good portion of her time plotting to regain her status as star murderess, and even Mama Morton demands her due in her show-stopping solo, “When You’re Good to Mama.”

In fact, the only self-effacing presence in the show is Amos Hart, Roxie’s patsy of a husband, whose shortcomings are his pathetic trademark.

The artfulness of Chicago's take on greed and corruption during the Prohibition era is embodied by Kander and Ebb's memorable score ("All That Jazz," "Nowadays,” etc.); the slithery choreography by Ann Reinking, who channels the late Bob Fosse's singular style from the original 1975 production (sensuous dance moves characterized by thrusting hips, rolling shoulders and finger-snapping); and the sardonic, fast-paced book by Ebb and Fosse.

The show is performed by an ever-changing cast of major names, from Reinking, Bebe Neuwrith, Harry Hamlin and Melanie Griffith, to Usher, Brooke Shields and Joel Grey. Lesser-known names are also part of the mix, of course, but the end result is always the same: a high caliber performance designed to dazzle the socks off you.

The cast –– virtually whoever is onstage at any given time -- gives Chicago the sort of electricity that has the Broadway revival closing in on 5,000 performances – more than five times the original's run.

And McCarthy, who grew up in Santa Maria, California and cut his theatrical teeth alongside Kathy Bates, Boyd Gaines and Harry Groener at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA), appreciates the care producers Barry and Fran Weissler continue to lavish on the show.

"They’ve managed to keep it current,” he noted. “My delight is that the show remains so alive and fresh after all these years!”