Beginning with Betty Boop and ending with Britney Spears, Respect: A Musical Journey of Women portrays the ever-changing ideals and expectations of modern women. Inspired by the stories of her female relatives, as well as her own experiences, playwright Dorothy Marcic uses a feminist American Idol template to explore women’s rights issues in the 20th century.

Four women of various ages sing truncated versions of Top 40 hits such as “I Am Woman,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and the titular song “Respect.” Stories of female historical figures and anecdotes from the playwright’s life are interspersed with these recognizable tunes.

One of the main themes of the show is the journey of women from co-dependence to independence. Highlighting the former, ensemble member Jeanette Fitzpatrick delivers a hilarious slapstick performance of a woman who lives by the telephone, awaiting a call from the boy of her dreams. Fitzpatrick wails the Vicki Carr song “It Must Be Him,” displaying her vocal talent through desperate tears.

Although the majority of audience members were older, ensemble member Sharyon Culberson says a younger crowd could learn a thing or two from the production.

“It’s important to understand your parents,” she says. “They’ve lived through the times when these songs were popular, and although the show does focus on the lives of the Baby Boomers, I think the younger generations still have the same issues applying to them today.”

Respect premiered in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 2004. The Chicago run at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green St., has retained two original ensemble members, including Northwestern alumna Emily Price. Price, who graduated from the School of Communication in 2002, says the show’s appeal lies in its lack of conventionality.

“It is not traditional musical theater, she says. “You’ll recognize the songs from the show, you’ll laugh and you’ll be entertained.”

Ensemble member Karan Pappas plays Marcic’s character and guides the audience from suffragettes to Steinem to Spears with a gentle tone and demeanor. Although older than her 20-something costars, Pappas can still keep up in terms of singing and dancing, giving a rock-out performance of “Piece of My Heart.”

Although Respect is now a polished musical package, it started out as a socioeconomic research project in 1999 for the Bah