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Chicago Scene 4 Summary

  • Roxie is put into drab clothes and given a wool blanket. Gray is the new orange.
  • A fellow prisoner advises Roxie to bribe the warden to keep her happy.
  • And here's the warden: Matron "Mama" Morton. Roxie imagines her as a brassy jazz singer.
  • Mama sings her song, "When You're Good to Mama."
  • "Mama's good to you!"
  • In reality, Mama introduces herself to the new inmates. She doesn't mess around.
  • She stops Roxie, calling her pretty and being strangely nice to her, saying she'll take care of her.
  • Then she leads her to Murderess' Row.
  • Roxie says she didn't do anything wrong, and Mama agrees that every man gets just what's coming to him.
  • Suddenly, Velma gets Roxie's attention from inside another cell.
  • Roxie is star struck to see "the Velma Kelly."
  • There's an article slandering Velma in Redbook, but she's excited about it. Velma loves the publicity.
  • Velma gives Mama some cash because she seems to have helped with the article.
  • On the way to Roxie's cell, Mama slips cigarettes to another prisoner.
  • The fantasy song ends as Roxie's cell door slams shut.
  • Roxie complains that it's cold, and she asks for a couple extra blankets.
  • That's not happening. Lights out! Roxie sniffles in the dark.