Prepare to be razzle-dazzled.

That tap dancing, vibrant singing and jazzy feeling Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger brought to the screen two years ago in the movie version of "Chicago" will be presented in the flesh at Wharton Center next week.

In addition to the six Academy Awards the movie walked away with in 2002, "Chicago" has been racking up awards since it first opened on Broadway in 1996. With six Tony Awards won only a year after it began touring, the musical has played in 19 countries and more than 260 cities.

It has become the fourth longest running Broadway musical - with no signs of slowing down.

"It has no reason to," said Brenda Braxton, who plays Velma Kelly in the show. "'Chicago' is about music, jazz and everything else at its best.

"It's almost like an 'ooooh' tongue-in-cheek sort of way - you've got to love it."

Today, the windy city, which for Lansing residents is about a five-hour drive away, is known for its booming business industry, suburban people and fast-paced life. Yet, to fame-hungry wannabes and "Chicago" stars Velma and Roxie, Chicago was the only place to make it big. Upon a time, when lying, cheating and murder were considered easy shortcuts to stardom, Velma Kelly and her rival Roxie Hart struggled to play the game.

A veteran of show business, Velma finds herself in jail for murdering her cheating lover and her sister. Her confidence, charisma and deceiving persona makes jail time only a minor burden for her career as she hires the suave lawyer, Billy Flynn, to help her get out.

Roxie, a soft-natured, yet equally deceiving character, also lands herself in jail after murdering her lover.

As alike as the two murderesses are, their jail time is spent bickering and the story unfolds as the drama they cause dances its way across the stage.

Despite the negative themes of murder, lying and selfishness showcased in "Chicago," it is not all humor and exaggeration. There is truth to the musical.

While good might conquer all in fairy tales, "Chicago" presents a world of raw deception where only the fittest survivors win the game.

In the story, the villains become our heroes, and despite the sins both Roxie and Velma commit, many find themselves rooting for their success.

Braxton said her character's strong personality and bad reputation are qualities she admires.

"I love (Velma's) strength - she just never stops," Braxton said. "Even if something is wrong, Velma knows how to just keep on working it.

"Of course, though, I decided even Velma could use a little 'Brenda Braxton' flavor in her."

Braxton's role calls for complex dance moves which had once intimidated and scared actress Zeta-Jones from playing the part of Velma in the movie version. Because Braxton doesn't have the luxury of "film editing" mistakes out, she said she had to be able to perfect the routines.

"This role calls for someone with a triple-threat," she said. "You've got to sing, dance and act - it's the perfect dose."

Unlike most people, Braxton learned to dance right about the same time she learned to walk.

"I started when I was 3 and kept at it until I landed myself a role in 'Guys and Dolls' right out of high school," she said. "It was a no-brainer for me that this was my path and this was where I wanted to go."

Her résumé now lists Broadway productions such as "Cats," but it was "Smokey Joe's Café," that earned her a Tony Award nomination.

Braxton said she remembers acquiring the role in "Smokey Joe's Café" by accident. While she was working on another show someone walked up to her and told her that the director was looking for a "Brenda Braxton" type to play a role in the musical.

"I had developed a stamina and I didn't even know it," she said, while laughing. "Once people know what you do and what you're good at, if they have something they think you're right for, you're good.

"That is, of course, after you've made your staple."

With her focus now on her current role, Braxton said one of her favorite things about the production is how her character and Roxie manipulate the media in ways familiar to today.

"Everybody manipulates the media and the judicial system," she said. "Remember O.J. Simpson - he resembles 'Chicago' at its best."

Here we were thinking that this guy was guilty and he got off innocent, much like my character does."

Dolled up in flapper dresses, red lipstick and long-filtered cigarettes, the cast of "Chicago" might resemble celebrities seen characters from the movie, but Braxton said the production offers much more.

"The movie was more about lots of costumes and glitz," she said. "Ours is about performing and dancing.

"It's kind of racy with the presentation and story line - it's almost like a forbidden fruit."

Wharton Center spokesman Bob Hoffman said anyone who can see this production should make the time.

"This piece is outstanding," he said. "The glamour, the dancing, the costumes - it's all part of an era we hear about all the time, but to see it on stage will be an entirely different experience."

Starting Tuesday, "Chicago" will present a world of dance and music that has caught the attention of audiences across the world. The musical's passion and vibrant up-beat feeling has made it a contemporary phenomenon that's more than "all that jazz."