How Chicago Music Director John Bell Brings Guest Stars Up to Speed

For nearly two years, John Bell has been the music director for the long-running, Tony-winning revival of Chicago, which continues its record-breaking run at the Ambassador Theatre.

The Pennsylvania native, who also conducts the Chicago orchestra standing center stage, is responsible for making sure the hit musical's rotating roster of celebrities—including Alyssa Milano, Ariana Madix, Sebastián Yatra, Erika Jayne, Ashley Graham, Mira Sorvino, and, currently, Whitney Leavitt—are ready to belt out the classic John Kander and Fred Ebb score. In addition to Leavitt's Roxie Hart, the New York company currently features Mykal Kilgore as Mary Sunshine, Greg Hildreth as Amos Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Tam Mutu as Billy Flynn, and Jacqueline B. Arnold as Matron "Mama" Morton.

Bell's additional Broadway credits, as musical director, associate musical director, conductor, and/or associate conductor, include Monty Python’s Spamalot, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, On the Town, and An American in Paris. He has also worked on 12 productions for the City Center Encores! series as well as the Kennedy Center stagings of Bye Bye Birdie and Spamalot. Some of his additional credits include Finian’s Rainbow, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, and Meet Me in St. Louis for Irish Rep and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. 

In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Bell shares why he feels more connected to the Chicago cast than any other show he's worked on; his advice for actors replacing in the award-winning revival; and the importance of patience, perseverance, and connection in showbiz.

Where did you train/study?
John Bell: I have a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College, an MA in Music from the City University of New York, and an MBA from Boston University. I studied conducting privately for many years with Judith Clurman, and we remain close. I also studied voice, piano, organ, acting, and dance from childhood in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area, where I was born.

Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
I have been blessed with many wonderful teachers. I would like to recognize the Ithaca College theatre faculty, especially Professors Mary Corsaro, Lee Byron, and Arno Selco, who made it possible for me to try my hand at music direction while I was an undergraduate. They knew that I had something special to offer even before I did. Mary Corsaro watched me lead a music rehearsal, and pulling me aside afterwards, she said, “John, you are home.”

What are the duties of a music director/conductor before a Broadway show opens and after the show is up and running?
When a new production is mounted, the music director is involved in casting and hiring the orchestra and collaborates closely with the director and choreographer. This often includes creating or overseeing vocal and dance arrangements and working with the orchestrator to ensure that the orchestrations reflect the musical and dramatic choices of the production. The music director is responsible for every note sung or played, so a major job is teaching the score and coaching the cast’s musical performances. The music director also rehearses the orchestra and ultimately integrates the cast and musicians into a cohesive whole. As a department head, the music director balances artistic leadership with significant managerial responsibilities—it takes many phone calls, meetings, and emails to get (and keep) a production running. I say that conducting the show is the culmination of—and reward for—doing this work. When a music supervisor is involved, these responsibilities are shared.

Building a show requires creativity and skill, but maintaining it is an art unto itself. At Chicago, new actors join the company regularly, making auditions and rehearsals an ongoing process. At the same time, it is essential to keep the performances of the resident cast and orchestra fresh, energetic, and precise. The wonderful director Bartlett Sher once said (when we were opening a show) that “performances can deepen, but they must not broaden,” and I think about this often. Each performance is a living event, built from the ground up. It is never exactly the same, yet consistency is imperative. 

The challenge lies in balancing natural, human variation and the individuality of the current cast and musicians with the core values established by the original writers and creative team. This balance is sustained through constant attention, open communication, and humility from all involved. While performers should never feel constrained or fearful, repetition will cause things to loosen and clarity to blur. I aim to, kindly yet firmly, remind everyone of the spine of the show and the musical choices to which we must adhere. These choices are brought to life in each artist’s performance, and so will combine with their unique qualities—and that keeps the show vibrant and each person distinctive. 

I work closely with Rob Fisher, the music supervisor of Chicago and the show’s original music director. We are in near constant contact, and he is always aware of what we are doing. He knows the score, the story, and the intentions of the show so well, and he is a fabulous musician with wonderful taste.

Since the Chicago orchestra is featured on stage, what are the challenges/rewards of being in full view of the audience?
The rewards outweigh the challenges. It is wonderful to have the orchestra, as well as the score, be so central to the show visually, thematically, and musically. The relationship between the musicians and the cast at Chicago is the most connected that I have ever experienced because we are onstage together. The challenges are that every musician must remain focused and still throughout the entire show. Also, from a sound perspective, there is nowhere to hide! Every note we play shoots directly out to the audience, so everyone must be in top form at all times. Personally, I have to stand for the entire performance, and that requires great stamina. 

Can you explain your process for getting a celebrity, who may or may not have much Broadway experience, up to speed? Do you have any particular go-to advice for someone newly joining the Chicago cast?
Each person is different and arrives with their own background and strengths. Replacing in a musical is like stepping on a fast-moving train. I encourage everyone to spend as much time as possible working on the material—the lines, the notes, the lyrics, the steps—they can’t be rehearsed and drilled enough. When you are nearly sick of it, then you are ready to go into the show. That’s when you know it enough to let your guard down and be responsive to the other actors and the audience. Live performance is an athletic event, and stamina must be built if you’re not used to it. 

I encourage everyone to run on the treadmill and say their lines and sing their lyrics—fight for the breath, the words, and the voice, even when you are tired.

Can you share a favorite interaction/memory working with a high-profile replacement in Chicago?
I could never choose a favorite. It is a joy to work with so many interesting and talented people that I have admired from afar, who are now colleagues and friends. Right now, the audiences coming out to support Whitney Leavitt are incredible. Sometimes, it feels like the roof might blow off the theatre! She means a great deal to a lot of people, and it is exciting to be a part of that.

How do you gain the trust of orchestra members who have been with the show for many years?
Musicians will make their decisions about a conductor after watching them give the first prep beat. The best thing that you can have is solid conducting technique—then you don’t have to yammer on at them. Musicians like to play, and not talk. Put what you are looking for musically into your gestures, and it will command immediate respect. Then, you can address issues of greater detail that may require brief conversation. Our musicians are all legends in their fields. They do not need my advice on how to play their instruments. But all musicians need a leader. I set the direction of the moving train, and I ask them to jump on with their musicality, style, and expertise. We work together, and I think we have a lot of fun.

What do you consider your big break?
Any career moves in waves, so I would say that the first would have been when I became connected with the Irish Repertory Theatre, and Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly. They provided me with an artistic home in New York, where I learned how to build shows and develop my craft, and provided an opportunity for others to see my work. The second would be when I began working with Rob Berman and Rob Fisher and the Encores! series. These two gentlemen are my dearest friends and mentors, and I would not be the person or musician that I am without them. Third would be when James Moore hired me for my first Broadway show, the revival of On the Town in 2014.

Tell me about a job/opportunity you really wanted but didn’t get. How did you get over that disappointment?
Rejection and criticism are part of a career in the arts, and one must find ways of coping with them productively. I lost out on a very high-profile job—one that I had invested in and believed that life was leading me towards. After spending about a week crying on the floor of my apartment (it was during the COVID shutdown), I decided that if this organization wasn’t interested in what I had to offer, I would find ones that were. Employers—directors, artistic directors, producers—have the right to hire who they want and run their organizations the way they choose. If someone does not value what you would bring to their workplace, then you will not have a positive experience there. Patience and perseverance will lead you somewhere better.

What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
Ours is a business of connectivity. You can be the most fabulous musician in the world, but if you are fabulous in a corner and no one knows how great you are, it will be hard to get anywhere. I’m not a shy person, but I am not always comfortable around people that I don’t know well. This can come off as disinterested, but it is really just fear! I wish I had been able to conquer this sooner, because I would have progressed a bit faster.

What is your proudest achievement as a music director/conductor?
I try not to take myself too seriously, but when I catch a glimpse of my bio in the iconic Playbill, I am proud of what I see. The shows that I have gotten to do, at the highest professional levels—My Fair Lady, Into the Woods, Fiddler on the Roof, Finian’s Rainbow, On the Town, and now, Chicago—are the most incredible pieces of musical theatre and are largely what inspired me to pursue this in the first place. I am honored and grateful.

In such difficult times in this country and around the world, how do you think theatre can play a positive role, either for yourself and/or the community at large?
Anything that can bring us together has the power to create change. When we enter a theatre, we are agreeing to join a communal event with a group of strangers. It’s impossible to know what each person thinks, and it’s safe to say that we may not all agree. But we can laugh together, clap together, cry together, enjoy the show, or hate the show. We might see something in the play that make us think differently. The theatre relies on human connection, and is one of the last spaces to overtly do so. Anything that reminds us that we might have more in common than we realize is contributing positively to society.