Though the brilliant musicals that composer John Kander created with his late lyricist partner Fred Ebb frequently tackled dark and violent issues CABARET, CHICAGO, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS among them, they did so with a shiny, often cynical veneer of show-biz. Snazzy melodies and joyful lyrics barely hid horrific subtext.
SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 03:42AM on February 24, 2017