George School proudly presents Chicago: The Musical – Teen Edition, the final production of current Arts Department Head and Director Mo West.

“Over the past 28 years, I have had the privilege of producing musicals on the Walton stage. At George School, we have been fortunate to cultivate an environment that encourages exploration, reflection and a deeper understanding of the human experience through the art of performance.”

A jazz-age satire, Chicago premiered on Broadway in 1975 with a landmark revival in 1996 that secured its sustaining success. The 2002 film adaptation introduced the work to a global audience and draws from real 1920s cases reported by Maurine Dallas Watkins in her play of the same name. Its critique of media, celebrity and moral distortion remains strikingly relevant.

Chicago is the third main-stage performance of the year, following The Illusionist in the fall and The Fantasticks this winter. Each year, Mo chooses a theme that carries through all the performances.

“From its earliest rituals to contemporary performance, theater has continually explored the tension between reality and illusion,” explained Mo in the program’s Director’s Note. “This season’s focus centers on that dynamic: how something may appear truthful while remaining fundamentally constructed."

Theater, by nature, manipulates perception — inviting emotional investment even as it exposes its own artifice. In doing so, it implicates both performer and audience in a shared act of belief.”

In Chicago, this tension expands beyond the personal to the societal. The justice system itself becomes a stage where lawyers, reporters and defendants craft performances designed to influence public opinion. “Through vaudeville structure and stylization, the musical reveals how spectacle obscures truth, encouraging audiences to overlook — or even celebrate — moral compromise.” 

Productions like Chicago highlight the dedication and collaboration of students and colleagues, whose commitment has been a constant source of inspiration for Mo. This production also invites the audience to engage critically with the spectacle and question the systems that allow performance to eclipse reality. “In a culture still driven by notoriety and narrative control, Chicago remains as incisive as ever,” said Mo.

“During my 28 years at George School, we have navigated a range of artistic and logistical challenges. Our program has embraced both ambitious and thought-provoking works, including Rent, Les Misérables, and Spring Awakening, while also delighting audiences with lively productions such as Something Rotten! and Snoopy."

“I consider my goals fulfilled if I have helped instill a lasting appreciation for theater and a recognition of the enduring value found in all art forms. The lessons we learn through art are profound, and they are best discovered together.”

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Performances are free and open to the public and run Friday, May 1 through Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. in Walton Center Auditorium. Learn more about the Arts at George School.