SOUTH DEERFIELD — Take a step back into the Roaring Twenties at Frontier Regional School this weekend, as students step into the glitzy world of Broadway’s longest-running American musical, “Chicago.”

After murdering an unfaithful lover, Roxie Hart is convicted and sentenced to death. In prison, she meets fellow murderer Velma Kelly, and the duo create a media circus while they vie for attention and acquittal.

The musical, “Chicago: Teen Edition,” will be presented on Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, at 7 p.m., along with a Sunday, March 19, matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, students and children. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at bit.ly/3T03qTu. Concessions, roses and T-shirts will also be available for purchase.

Director Thomas Klansek said “Chicago” and its mature themes are the next step for a Frontier theater program that has grown in both age and experience over the years.

“It’s been a program that’s been getting built up over the last five or six years,” Klansek said, adding that the adult nature of the show lends itself to the junior- and senior-heavy cast. “Some of these kids knock it out of the park.”

Junior Patrice Moriarty is taking on the role of Velma Kelly, the nightclub singer turned murderer who shares jail time with Roxie Hart. Moriarty said the production was “daunting” at first, but she and her castmates have settled in.

“It’s so much fun. … It’s so great to see the cast expand on these skills,” Moriarty said, adding that this is Frontier’s first musical to feature a live band since 2020’s canceled run of “Annie.” “The energy within has shifted.”

Sophomore Leila Bosman is cast as Matron “Mama” Morton, the warden of Cook County Jail. Bosman said she’s excited to take on the role, which features a solo song, and she is thankful to work alongside a great group of people.

“They are a delight to work with,” Bosman said. “I’m so glad I get to be part of this with them.”

Bosman said people can expect a night filled with dancing in a show that she described as “loud, jazzy and fun,” while Moriarty said the show will have something for everyone to enjoy.

“It’s going to be entertaining from the second the curtain opens,” Moriarty said. “It’s more mature, but it still has the fun aspect to it.”

The runtime for “Chicago: Teen Edition” is approximately 90 minutes. While the show features some adult themes, including murder, the school has adapted the teen version to make it suitable for more audiences.

“It’s going to be a great show,” Klansek added. “This is a great opportunity to see what kids in the community can do.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

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