Adapted for the stage by Simon from Federico Fellini’s heartbreaking yet touching 1957 romantic drama Nights of Cabiria, and conceived, directed and choreographed by the legendary Bob Fosse, Sweet Charity opened at Broadway’s Palace Theatre in January 1966 to smash reviews and has been a favorite of theatre-goers ever since.

The story is a tender, poignant and consistently funny look at the adventures--or rather the misadventures, in the ways of love encountered by the gullible and guileless lady known as Charity Hope Valentine--a dance hostess who always gives her heart and her dreams to the wrong man. The book is Neil Simon at his best, the entire show begs for plenty of Fosse-inspired dance, and great songs keep pouring out, including “Big Spender”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now”, “Baby, Dream Your Dream”, “Sweet Charity”, “Too Many Tomorrows”, “The Rhythm Of Life” and more.

The Shedd’s concert production (everything but the set!) is created by veteran director and choreographer Richard Jessup with music direction and by long-standing Shedd conductor Robert Ashens. Laura Sue Hiszczynskyj (as Charity), Chas King (as Vittorio Vidal), Dylan Stasack (as Oscar) and Ron Judd (as Herman) head up a superb veteran Shedd ensemble in an evening of laughs, intense dance, great songs, and a heartwarming tale of a young woman’s conquest of tough people and a tough life through unquenchable good will and an indomitable spirit.