Chicago returns to Philadelphia with Illeana “Illy” Kirven as Matron “Mama” Morton

Illeana “Illy” Kirven as Matron “Mama” Morton in “Chicago.”
Photo: Jeremy Daniel

By Kharisma McIlwaine

For nearly three decades, “Chicago” has held its title as Broadway’s longest-running musical, razzle-dazzling audiences for 28 years with over 10,000 performances, earning six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and a Grammy.

With a book by Kander & Ebb and choreography by the iconic Bob Fosse, “Chicago” remains a fan favorite across generations. Now, after 17 years — with its last engagement played in 2009 at the Academy of Music — the legendary show is finally returning to Philadelphia.

Joining this homecoming is Illeana “Illy” Kirven who plays Matron “Mama” Morton.

Kirven is thrilled to continue her “Chicago” journey, having performed on the North American tour for two seasons, and on the 25th Anniversary International Tour in South Korea. She brings a résumé of hundreds of shows — including favorite roles like Caroline in “Caroline,” Deloris Van Cartier in “Sister Act,” and the Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Kirven spoke with the SUN about her gratitude for continuing her role in the “Chicago” legacy.

Growing up in Tyler, Texas, where live theater was scarce, Kirven found her artistic spark through watching dance shows on TV and from the encouragement of her dance teacher turned mentor.

“In Texas, at that time I didn’t even see a lot of theater,” Kirven said. “There wasn’t really a lot of availability. Mostly I would see what was on TV — Soul Train and American Bandstand — shows with music and dance. I just knew that I loved music so much — any kind of music — and mostly popular music, Motown, that type of thing. And it just [led] to me taking dance class at our studio in my hometown with an amazing teacher who had [a] lot of knowledge, so I really learned a lot from her and that [kind of] opened the door and made me start,like, [to] study and see [what] I could do.”

“I had a dance teacher in the studio that I grew up in,” Kirven continued. “She was just very knowledgeable, and she was a theater performer herself. It was just very helpful, you know, to have somebody like that around, that I could ask questions and just get her opinion on different things. That’s actually how I got into school in New York. I found the information in her studio, and things just kind of took off from there.”

Illeana “Illy” Kirven
Photo: Jeremy Daniel

Kirven went on to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York, where she was first introduced to “Chicago.”

“I actually saw “Chicago” when I was in school in New York, way back before it was revamped and everything,” Kirven said. “It was amazing that it was kind of one of the first shows that I saw — standing-room only. Then I saw it again a little bit later with a friend I had known for a really long time. Of course, I was inspired by choreography and the music. I guess the show was on my radar without me realizing for quite a while.”

Before joining the North American tour of “Chicago, “Kirven had already performed the show in a different production — one that would unexpectedly open the door to her international journey with the musical.

“I had done a production of it at a dinner theater that the producers actually owned in Florida,” Kirven said. “It was a totally different production, different director and a different vision. That was in about 2017 or 2018. It did very well there and then it went touring, but my mother was ill, and I was taking care of her at the time, so I didn’t pursue it at all. When it came time to go to Korea, I got a reach out from the producer.

So, I didn’t do auditions, but they knew me from our past history. They asked if I wanted to do it. I raised my hand very quickly, [and said,] ‘Yes, I do.’ So, it was just amazing. I feel like it was just something I was supposed to be doing. It just happened to work out for me that way. I’m so happy about it.”

Kirven’s experience touring in South Korea for 11 weeks exceeded every expectation, easily becoming one of the best experiences of her life.

“That was probably the most amazing time of my life and my career,” Kirven said. “I just really, really loved being there. I thought the people were amazing and they were so responsive. They actually do this show over there. They relate to the corruption in the city back in the day — a lot of things that they feel the same [way] about. So, they actually have a Korean company, a professional company that does it every year, and they actually did it the same year we were there. Then they did it later in that same year and then this year.”

“They do it like every year — they just love the show!” Kirven continued. “They know the show. They know the music. They had the translators there, of course, but they speak English — and much better than my Korean, I can promise you. The love from the audiences was amazing. I mean, they really went crazy for this show. So, it was magical.”

For Kirven, Mama Morton is more than just the tough-as-nails matron of Cook County Jail — she’s a shrewd businesswoman with a hint of heart.

“Mama Morton gets stuff started,” Kirven said. “She says that she rules the roof, so she gets things going for the girls that need a lawyer or whatever they need. She’s a businesswoman, first of all, so she’s got to make a little money off of them. If they have a little money, then she’s able to work with them, and if they don’t, she might throw them a little assistance. She kind of gets the ball rolling for them, getting them on the map to free them if it’s possible. I think she’s got some love in her heart. She cares for them, but she also wants to make a little buck off of them at the same time. She’s a very powerful character.”

While “Chicago” is known for its sharp wit, show-stopping numbers, and dark comedy, for Kirven, the true genius of the show is that its satire is rooted in truth.

“I feel like a lot of audiences don’t realize that this is based off of a true story,” she said. “You know, it’s musical theater and it’s a comedy, but it is based off of something that really happened in the 1920s in Chicago. These women actually did [the] murders and were able to get off and pursue a life in vaudeville after. A lot of it used to be too political, but it kind of reminds me of some of our politics of the day. They didn’t have as much media — they had radio and newspapers and that was it — but they used it to their best of their ability.

“I always hope that people try to dig a little deeper [into] this story, especially because it was a true story,” Kirven said. “Of course, they weren’t singing and dancing in there, but they were razzle dazzling. So that’s usually my hope — that they will just go and look up the story. Let’s see who these women really were. What were their real names? That information is out there. It’s very, very interesting to hear the outcome of their story and see how it pertains to our lives today.”

Be sure to follow Kirven on IG @321illy and visit her website at: https://www.321illy.com/. “Chicago” will be at the Forrest Theatre on May 12 – 17, 2026. For more information on tickets and showtimes, visit: www.ensembleartsphilly.org.