The Kensington Arts Theatre will open its season with a performance of the Broadway hit Chicago starting on Friday, Oct. 8.

From Oct. 8 through Oct. 30 the small theatre group founded in 2002 will perform ten shows, and hold several speakeasy gatherings with the cast and crew after the performance for an additional fee.

Chicago takes place during the roaring twenties, according the the theater's press release, where Roxie Hart murders her faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos Hart, to take the rap for it.

Actor, Josh Doyle, 33, a graduate of Virginia Tech's theater program, plays the role of Amos. He said that what he like best about his character is that he is the only honest person in the entire show.

"He's an innocent, simple car mechanic," Doyle said. "He was pulled into this Chicago life when his wife kills her lover. He's the everyday man caught up in the world of greed and all."

When he finds out the man is actually Roxie's lover, He then turns on Roxie. She is arrested and condemned to death row. While she is in Murderess' Row, she is under the care of the corrupt Matron Mama Morton, who bribes her prisoners and provides them with contraband.

"She's a corrupt character, but I tried to make her funny," said Karen Plummer, the actress who plays the character. "But don't cross her because she is as tough as nails."

Mama convinces Roxie to come up with money for a defense by one of the top lawyers in town, Billy Flynn. Roxie eventually joins forces with another murderess, Velma Kelly and together they unrelentingly strive for fame, fortune and acquittal.

President and founder of Kensington Arts Theatre and the producer of the play, Craig Pettinati, is anxious to get the 2010-2011 season started with Chicago. He said he looks forward to the year to come with the crew and the actors, some new and some old.

"My job is to pick the shows that are going to work for this group and the directors who are going to make it work and I think I've done that," he said. "We are very proud of our production staff, also. We have great sound and lighting people."

Choreographer of the play and an actor with the theatre, Diego Prieto, said he is looking forward to opening night of the play he co-directed. He said that theatre is his heart.

"It gives you a chance to play make believe and who doesn't like that?" Prieto said. "You'll never get to be a flapper from the 1920's but it's fun to pretend."

The original Tony Award nominated play, which opened in 1975 and ran for 935 performances, was written by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The music was written by John Kander. The Kensington production of the play is directed by Andrea Spitz and Prieto. The show, which was revived in 1996, won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Choreography.

Chicago can be seen at the Kensington Town Center at 3710 Mitchell Street in Kensington, Md. General admission to the show is $20. There are specials for Kensington residents, seniors, students, children under 13 and those attending as a group. To see the schedule and purchase tickets for the show, visit the Kensington Theatre Arts website.