Manitoba dentists mount sell-out shows of Chicago, the Musical

by Rebecca Driedger

From May 7-11, 2025, fifteen dentists from Winnipeg and the surrounding area took to the stage at Théâtre Cercle Molière to perform in this year’s All-Dentist Musical, Chicago. Well in advance of the run, all five shows were sold out. This led to increased excitement among the cast and crew of the production, knowing that once they entered the space and had gone through days of technical rehearsals, the seats would be full of family, friends and associates from the area.

Comprised of a cast of enthusiastic Manitoba dentists and a creative team of local, emerging, and established artists, the All-Dentist Musical presents a charitable theatrical production every two years. Their last two productions were Bloodsuckers! The Musical in 2023 and The Addams Family in 2019. The All-Dentist Musical was established in 2011 when Dr. Tricia Magsino-Barnabé spearheaded the all-dentist production of Little Shop of Horrors.

Chicago is a 1975 American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Ebb and Bob Fosse.

Based on a 1926 play by the same title about actual criminals and crimes that Maurine Dallas Watkins reported, Chicago is a satire about corruption in the criminal justice system and the concept of “celebrity criminals.”

This production featured Filipino singing and acting dentists Tom Colina as Amos Hart and Tricia Magsino Barnabé playing dual roles as Mary Sunshine and Catrina Hupyak. They were joined by fellow dentists Katie Davidson, Ilana Shapera, Cheryl Bacala, Ken Hamin, Natalia Longley, Kristin Cuthbert, Karen Lischka, Cathy Carroll, Frank Hechter, Chris Cottick, Alexander Mutchmor, Patrick Mao, and Wally Mah.

Half the proceeds from this year’s production will go to Théâtre Cercle Molière, while the other half will support the initiatives of The Manitoba Dental Foundation.