Say what you want about Barry and Fran Weissler, they've somehow managed to keep Chicago running for almost ten years, despite the phenomenal success of the movie version. (Or perhaps because of it.) And a lot of the show's staying power has come from stunt casting: bringing in brand-name stars to stoke the public's interest. Previous stars have included Taye Diggs, Rita Wilson, and Melanie Griffith. Now comes what could be their biggest casting coup of all: pop star Usher.
Now, let's distinguish stunt casting from star shows. The latter exist solely to showcase the talents of one particular performer, often despite the questionable quality of the show itself (cf. The Boy from Oz). We've seen a certain sub-species of star shows of late: revivals of decent or even great shows that last only as long as their stars are in them (Antonio Banderas in Nine, Harry Connick Jr. in The Pajama Game).
Stunt casting, other the other hand, occurs when producers bring in the names to keep an otherwise successful show going relatively late in its run (e.g. Reba McIntyre in Annie Get Your Gun or Joey Fatone in Rent). But stunt casting doesn't work when the production itself is of questionable value (e.g. Cathy Rigby in Seussical or Joey Fatone in Little Shop of Horrors).
I have little doubt that Usher in Chicago will be very lucrative for the Weisslers. But I have a feeling that his presence will distract people from the show itself. The audience won't really be there to witness Kander & Ebb's terrific score or Bob Fosse's cynical book and stunning choreography. (Yeah, I know, Ann Reinking received the credit and the Tony. But c'mon, we all know whose work is really on that stage.)
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