''Chicago'' is a 1975 American musical with music by
John Kander
John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including '' ...
, lyrics by
Fred Ebb
Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita R ...
, and book by Ebb and
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals '' The Paja ...
. Set in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
in the
jazz age, the musical is based on a
1926 play of the same title by reporter
Maurine Dallas Watkins
Maurine Dallas Watkins (July 27, 1896? – August 10, 1969) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early in her career, she briefly worked as a journalist covering the courthouse beat for the ''Chicago Tribune''. This experience gave her th ...
, about actual criminals and the crimes on which she reported. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal".
The original
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
production opened in 1975 at the
46th Street Theatre
The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by He ...
and ran for 936 performances, until 1977. Bob Fosse directed and choreographed the original production, and his style is strongly identified with the show. It debuted in the
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
in 1979, where it ran for 600 performances. ''Chicago'' was revived on Broadway in 1996, and a year later in the West End.
The 1996 Broadway production holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. It is the second
longest-running show ever to run on Broadway, behind only ''
The Phantom of the Opera
''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...
''. ''Chicago'' surpassed ''
Cats
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
'' on November 23, 2014, when it played its 7,486th performance. The West End revival became the longest-running American musical in West End history. ''Chicago'' has been staged in numerous productions around the world, and has toured extensively in the United States and United Kingdom. The
2002 film adaptation of the musical won the
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categor ...
.
History
The musical ''Chicago'' is based on
a play of the same name by reporter and playwright
Maurine Dallas Watkins
Maurine Dallas Watkins (July 27, 1896? – August 10, 1969) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early in her career, she briefly worked as a journalist covering the courthouse beat for the ''Chicago Tribune''. This experience gave her th ...
, who was assigned to cover the 1924 trials of accused murderers
Beulah Annan
Beulah May Annan (née Sheriff; November 18, 1899 – March 10, 1928) was an American suspected murderer. Her story inspired Maurine Dallas Watkins's play '' Chicago'' in 1926. The play was adapted into a 1927 silent film, a 1975 stage musical, ...
and
Belva Gaertner
Belva Eleanora Gaertner (née Boosinger; September 14, 1884 – May 14, 1965) was an American woman who was acquitted of murder in a 1924 trial. She inspired elements of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' created by Maurine Dallas Watkins; Watkins reported ...
for the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
''. In the early 1920s, Chicago's press and public became riveted by the subject of homicides committed by women. Several high-profile cases arose, which generally involved women killing their lovers or husbands. These cases were tried against a backdrop of changing views of women in the jazz age, and a long string of acquittals by
Cook County
Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
juries of female murderers (juries at the time were all male, and convicted murderers generally faced death by hanging). A lore arose that, in Chicago, feminine or attractive women could not be convicted. The ''Chicago Tribune'' generally favored the prosecution's case, while still presenting the details of these women's lives. Its rivals at the
Hearst papers were more pro-defendant, and employed what were derisively called "sob-sisters" – women reporters who focused on the plight, attractiveness, redemption, or grace of the female defendants. Regardless of stance, the press covered several of these women as celebrities.
Annan, the model for the character of
Roxie Hart
Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives.
Development
The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...
, was 23 when she was accused of the April 3, 1924
murder of Harry Kalstedt, who served as the basis for the Fred Casely character. The ''Tribune'' reported that Annan played the
foxtrot
The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band (usually vocal) music. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is in a ti ...
record ''Hula Lou'' over and over for two hours before calling her husband to say she killed a man who "tried to make love to her". Her husband Albert Annan inspired the character, Amos Hart. Albert was an auto mechanic who bankrupted himself to defend his wife, only for her to publicly dump him the day after she was acquitted.
Velma Kelly
Velma Kelly is one of the main characters in the successful 1975 Broadway musical ''Chicago''. Kelly is based on the character "Velma", who first appeared in the 1926 play, also called ''Chicago'', who was in-turn inspired by the life of Belva G ...
is based on Gaertner, who was a cabaret singer, and society divorcée. The body of Walter Law was discovered slumped over the steering wheel of Gaertner's abandoned car on March 12, 1924. Two police officers testified that they had seen a woman getting into the car and shortly thereafter heard gunshots. A bottle of gin and an automatic pistol were found on the floor of the car. Lawyers William Scott Stewart and W. W. O'Brien were models for a composite character in ''Chicago'',
Billy Flynn. Just days apart, separate juries acquitted both women.
Watkins' sensational columns documenting these trials proved so popular that she wrote a play based on them. The show received both good box-office sales and newspaper notices and was mounted on Broadway in 1926, running 172 performances.
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cin ...
produced a
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...
version, ''
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
'' (1927), starring former
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'.
Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in th ...
bathing beauty
Phyllis Haver
Phyllis Maude Haver (January 6, 1899 – November 19, 1960) was an American actress of the silent film era.
Early life
Haver was born in Douglass, Kansas to James Hiram Haver (1872–1936) and Minnie Shanks Malone (1879–1949). When s ...
as Roxie Hart. It was later remade as ''
Roxie Hart
Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives.
Development
The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...
'' (1942) starring
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring role in ''Kitty Foyle'' ...
, but in this version, Roxie was accused of murder without having really committed it, due to
content restrictions on Hollywood films of the era.
In the 1960s,
Gwen Verdon
Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon (January 13, 1925October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach for t ...
read the play and asked her husband, Bob Fosse, about the possibility of creating a musical adaptation. Fosse approached playwright Watkins numerous times to buy the rights, but she repeatedly declined; by this point she may have regretted that Annan and Gaertner had been allowed to walk free, and that her treatment of them should not be glamorized.
Nonetheless, upon her death in 1969, her
estate
Estate or The Estate may refer to:
Law
* Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations
* Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries.
** The Estates, representat ...
sold the rights to producer Richard Fryer, Verdon, and Fosse.
John Kander
John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including '' ...
and
Fred Ebb
Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita R ...
began work on the musical score, modeling each number on a traditional
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic compositio ...
number or a vaudeville performer. This format made explicit the show's comparison between "justice", "show-business", and contemporary society. Ebb and Fosse penned the book of the musical, and Fosse also directed and
choreographed
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
.
Synopsis
Act I
Velma Kelly
Velma Kelly is one of the main characters in the successful 1975 Broadway musical ''Chicago''. Kelly is based on the character "Velma", who first appeared in the 1926 play, also called ''Chicago'', who was in-turn inspired by the life of Belva G ...
is a
vaudevillian
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic compositio ...
who welcomes the audience to tonight's show ("
All That Jazz"). Interplayed with the opening number, the scene cuts to February 14, 1928, in the bedroom of chorus girl
Roxie Hart
Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives.
Development
The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...
, where she murders Fred Casely as he attempts to break off an affair with her.
Roxie convinces her husband Amos that the victim was a burglar, and Amos agrees to take the blame. Roxie expresses her appreciation of her husband's willingness to do anything for her ("Funny Honey"). However, when the police mention the deceased's name, Amos belatedly realizes that Roxie has lied to him. With both Roxie and Amos furious at each other for the other's betrayal, Roxie confesses and is arrested. She is sent to the women's block in the
Cook County Jail
The Cook County Jail, located on in South Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois, is operated by the Sheriff of Cook County. A city jail has existed on this site since after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, but major County prisoners were not generally coll ...
, where several women accused of killing their lovers are held ("
Cell Block Tango
"Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical ''Chicago'', with music composed by John Kander and lyrics written by Fred Ebb.
Description
At the Cook County Jail women's annex, six women explain their presence in the jail, all of whom stand ...
"); among the inmates is Velma Kelly, revealing herself to have been involved in the death of her husband and sister after she caught them having sex, though she denies committing the act on account of blacking out from the sight. The block is presided over by Matron "Mama" Morton, whose system of taking
bribes
Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corr ...
("When You're Good to Mama") perfectly suits her clientele. She has helped Velma become the media's top murderer-of-the-week and is acting as a booking agent for Velma's big return to vaudeville.
Velma is not happy to see Roxie, who is stealing not only her limelight but also her lawyer,
Billy Flynn. Roxie convinces Amos to pay for Billy Flynn to be her lawyer ("A Tap Dance"), though Amos lacks the funds. Eagerly awaited by his all-woman clientele, Billy sings his anthem, complete with a chorus of fan dancers ("All I Care About"). Billy takes Roxie's case before realizing Amos doesn't have the money; to make up the difference, he turns the case into a
media circus
Media circus is a colloquial metaphor, or idiom, describing a news event for which the level of media coverage—measured by such factors as the number of reporters at the scene and the amount of material broadcast or published—is perceived t ...
and rearranges her story for consumption by sympathetic tabloid columnist Mary Sunshine ("A Little Bit of Good"), hoping to sell proceeds in an auction. Roxie's press conference turns into a ventriloquist act, with Billy dictating a new version of the truth ("We Both Reached for the Gun") to the reporters while Roxie mouths the words.
Roxie becomes the most popular celebrity in Chicago, as she boastfully proclaims while planning for her future career in vaudeville ("Roxie"). As Roxie's fame grows, Velma's notoriety subsides, and in an act of desperation she tries to talk Roxie into recreating the sister act ("I Can't Do It Alone"). Roxie turns her down, only to find her own headlines replaced by the latest sordid crime of passion ("I Can't Do It Alone (Reprise)"). Separately, Roxie and Velma realize there is no one they can count on but themselves ("My Own Best Friend"), and Roxie decides that being pregnant in prison would put her back on the front page.
Act II
Velma returns to introduce the opening act, resentful of Roxie's manipulation of the system ("I Know a Girl") and ability to seduce a doctor into saying Roxie is pregnant; as Roxie emerges, she sings gleefully of the future of her unborn (nonexistent) child ("Me and My Baby"). Amos proudly claims paternity, but still, nobody notices him, and Billy exposes holes in Roxie's story by noting that she and Amos had not had sex in four months, meaning if she were pregnant, the child was not Amos's, in hopes that Amos will divorce her and look like a villain, which Amos almost does ("Mr. Cellophane"). Velma tries to show Billy all the tricks she has planned for her trial ("When Velma Takes The Stand"), which Roxie treats skeptically. Roxie, upset with being treated like a "common criminal" and considering herself a celebrity, has a heated argument with Billy and fires him; Billy warns her that her kind of
celebrity is fleeting and that she would be just as famous hanging from a noose. At that moment, Roxie witnesses one of her fellow inmates, a Hungarian woman who insisted on her innocence but could not speak English and whose public lawyer refused to defend her, become the first woman to be executed in Chicago in decades ("Hungarian Rope Trick").
The trial date arrives, and the now freshly terrified Roxie runs back to Billy, who calms Roxie by suggesting she will be fine so long as she makes a show of the trial ("Razzle Dazzle"). Billy uses Amos as a pawn, turning around and insisting that Amos is actually the father of Roxie's child. As Roxie recounts Billy's carefully crafted false narrative of the night of Fred's murder (with Fred re-appearing on stage in
flashback), she steals all of Velma's schtick, down to the rhinestone garter, to the dismay of Mama and Velma ("Class"). As promised, Billy gets Roxie acquitted, but just as the verdict is announced, some even more sensational crime pulls the press away, and Roxie's fleeting celebrity life is over. Billy leaves, done with the case, admitting that he only did it for the money. Amos tries to get Roxie to come home and forget the ordeal, but she is more concerned with the end of her brief run of fame and admits she isn't pregnant, at which point a fed up Amos leaves her.
The final scene cuts to a Chicago vaudeville theater, where Roxie and Velma (acquitted off-stage) are performing a new act in which they sing bittersweetly about modern life ("Nowadays"). The former Mary Sunshine, revealed during the trial actually to be a man in drag, takes his natural male form as a pushy vaudeville promoter, shaping Roxie and Velma's dance ("Hot Honey Rag") to make it as sexy as possible. The show ends with a brief finale as Roxie and Velma thank their audience ("Finale").
Musical numbers
;1975 Original Broadway Production
''"Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville"''
;Act 1
* "Overture" – Orchestra
* "
All That Jazz" – Velma Kelly and Company
* "Funny Honey" – Roxie Hart, Amos Hart, Sergeant Fogarty
* "
Cell Block Tango
"Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical ''Chicago'', with music composed by John Kander and lyrics written by Fred Ebb.
Description
At the Cook County Jail women's annex, six women explain their presence in the jail, all of whom stand ...
" – Velma and the Girls
* "When You're Good to Mama" – Matron "Mama" Morton
* "Tap Dance" – Roxie, Amos, and Boys
* "All I Care About" – Billy Flynn and the Girls
* "A Little Bit of Good" – Mary Sunshine
* "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary Sunshine
* "Roxie" – Roxie and Boys
* "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma
* "Chicago After Midnight" – Orchestra
* "My Own Best Friend" – Roxie and Velma
;Act 2
* "I Know a Girl" – Velma
* "Me and My Baby" – Roxie and Company
* "Mr. Cellophane" – Amos Hart
* "When Velma Takes the Stand" – Velma and Boys
* "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy and Company
* "Class" – Velma and Morton
* "Nowadays" – Roxie
* Finale: "Nowadays"/"R.S.V.P"/"Keep It Hot" – Roxie and Velma †
;1996 Revival Production
''"Chicago: The Musical"''
;Act 1
* "Overture" – Orchestra
* "
All That Jazz" – Velma Kelly and Company
* "Funny Honey" – Roxie Hart
* "
Cell Block Tango
"Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical ''Chicago'', with music composed by John Kander and lyrics written by Fred Ebb.
Description
At the Cook County Jail women's annex, six women explain their presence in the jail, all of whom stand ...
" – Velma and the Murderesses
* "When You're Good to Mama" – Matron "Mama" Morton
* "Tap Dance" – Roxie, Amos, and Boys
* "All I Care About" – Billy Flynn and the Girls
* "A Little Bit of Good" – Mary Sunshine
* "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary and the Reporters
* "Roxie" – Roxie and the Boys
* "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma
* "I Can't Do It Alone (Reprise)" – Velma
* "Chicago After Midnight" – Orchestra
* "My Own Best Friend" – Roxie and Velma
* "Finale Act I: All That Jazz (Reprise)" – Velma
;Act 2
* "Entr'acte" – Orchestra
* "I Know a Girl" – Velma
* "Me and My Baby" – Roxie and Company
* "Mr. Cellophane" – Amos Hart
* "When Velma Takes the Stand" – Velma and the Boys
* "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy and Company
* "Class" – Velma and Mama Morton
* "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" – Velma and Roxie
* "Finale Act II: All That Jazz (Reprise)" – Company
† In the 1975 Original Broadway Production and its Playbill, there are a few contradicting song lists. Songs such as "R.S.V.P" and "Keep It Hot" which were instrumental pieces in the "Finale" were removed from the licensable music, but were included in original production and script. Other songs such as "Ten Percent" sung by a deleted character who was Velma's agent, and "No" sung by Roxie and Boys were cut soon into the production and only appear on demo recordings and in the original Playbill, but are not in the original script. Other cut songs from the show were "Rose Colored Glasses" a different version of "We Both Reached for the Gun", "Pansy Eyes", and "Loopin' the Loop".
Cast and characters
Original casts
Source for West End: overthefootlights.co.uk
Principal characters (defined as having at least one featured musical number) and original performers of notable productions:
Notable replacements
Broadway (1975–1977)
*Roxie Hart:
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
,
Lenora Nemetz,
Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
*Velma Kelly:
Lenora Nemetz
*Amos Hart:
Rex Everhart
Rex Everhart (June 13, 1920 – March 13, 2000) was an American film and theatre actor.
Everhart appeared in such films as '' Superman'', in 1978. He was also known for his role as Enos the Truck-Driver in the horror film, '' Friday the 13th ...
*Matron “Mama” Morton:
Alaina Reed Hall
Alaina Reed Hall (November 10, 1946 – December 17, 2009) was an American actress and singer who portrayed Olivia Robinson, Gordon's younger sister, on the PBS children's television series ''Sesame Street'', and Rose Lee Holloway on the NBC sitc ...
Broadway (1996–)
*Roxie Hart:
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series '' Baywatch'' (1992–1997).
Ande ...
,
Mel B
Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...
,
Christie Brinkley
Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues'', ultimately appearing on an unprecedented ...
,
Charlotte d'Amboise
Charlotte d'Amboise (born May 11, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical ...
,
Paige Davis
Paige Davis is an American television personality and actress.
She is best known as the host of the TLC home improvement reality television program ''Trading Spaces'' from 2001 until 2008, and hosted the morning talkshow '' Home and Family'' ...
,
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales ...
,
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay Duncan (born February 20, 1946) is an American actress, comedian, dancer and singer. She is known for her performances in the Broadway revival of '' Peter Pan'' and in the sitcom '' The Hogan Family''. Duncan has been nominated for ...
,
Veronica Dunne,
Charlotte Kate Fox
Charlotte Kate Fox (born August 14, 1985) is an American film, TV, and theatrical actress and musician. She was cast as the first non-Japanese heroine of an NHK Asadora: the series ''Massan'' broadcast on Japanese television.
Education
Fox ...
,
Robin Givens
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
** Bush-robin
** Forest ...
,
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. She began her career in the 1970s, appearing in several independent thriller films before achieving mainstream success in the mid-1980s.
Born in Manhattan, New York City, ...
,
Melora Hardin
Melora Hardin (born June 29, 1967) is an American actress, known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's '' The Office'' and Trudy Monk on USA Network's ''Monk'', and Tammy Cashman on Amazon Prime Video's '' Transparent'', for which she received ...
,
Samantha Harris
Samantha Harris (born Samantha Harris Shapiro; November 27, 1973) is an American television presenter, model, and entertainment reporter and actress, known as the co-host of seasons two through nine of ''Dancing with the Stars'' with Tom Bergero ...
,
Marilu Henner
Mary Lucy Denise Henner is an American actress. She began her career appearing in the original production of the musical '' Grease'' in 1971, before making her screen debut in the 1977 comedy-drama film '' Between the Lines''. In 1977, Henner wa ...
,
Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
,
Robyn Hurder
Robyn Hurder (born January 1, 1982) is an American musical theater actress. She is best known for originating the role of Nini in the stage adaptation of ''Moulin Rouge!'' on Broadway, a performance for which she was nominated for the 2020 Tony A ...
,
Erika Jayne
Erika Girardi (née Chahoy; born July 10, 1971), known professionally as Erika Jayne, is an American singer, television personality and former actress.
Early life
Erika Girardi was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 10, 1971, to single mother Re ...
,
Bonnie Langford
Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...
,
Shiri Maimon
Shiri Maimon (or Maymon, he, שירי מימון ; born ) is an Israeli pop/ R&B singer, TV show host and actress, who rose to fame as the runner-up in the TV show ''Kokhav Nolad''. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, w ...
,
Bianca Marroquín,
Gretchen Mol
Gretchen Mol (born November 8, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She is known for her role as Gillian Darmody in the HBO series ''Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). She also appeared in the films ''Rounders'' (1998), ''Celebrity'' ( ...
,
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer.
Nettles is the lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush, and prior to this she fronted the Atlanta-based band ...
,
Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. On television, she played Dr. Lilith Sternin, Frasier Crane's wife, on both the TV sitcom ''Cheers'' (in a starring role) and its spin-off ''F ...
,
Petra Nielsen,
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-laye ...
,
Desi Oakley
Desi Oakley, (born June 12, 1989), is an American singer and actress, known for her work in musical theatre. She has performed in shows such as ''Waitress'', ''Chicago'', and '' Wicked''.
Early life and education
Desiree or "Desi" Oakley was ...
,
Lisa Rinna
Lisa D. Rinna (born Elizabeth Deann Rinna; July 11, 1963) is an American actress and television personality. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride ...
,
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...
,
Angelica Ross
Angelica Ross (born November 28, 1980) is an American actress, businesswoman, and transgender rights advocate. A self-taught computer programmer, she went on to become founder and CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises, a firm that helps employ tran ...
,
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
,
Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
,
Amy Spanger
Amy Spanger (born May 21, 1971) is an American actress, singer and dancer.
Early life
Spanger was born in Newbury, Massachusetts.
Career
Spanger made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the musical ''Sunset Boulevard'', following a half-year r ...
,
Denise van Outen,
Ana Villafañe
Ana Teresa Villafañe ( ; born June 5, 1989) is an American actress and singer from Miami, Florida, best known for her portrayal of pop icon Gloria Estefan in the Broadway musical ''On Your Feet!''.
Life and career
She was born on June 5, 1989, ...
,
Nana Visitor
Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''.
...
,
Michelle Williams,
Rumer Willis
Rumer Glenn Willis (born August 16, 1988) is an American actress. She is the eldest daughter of actor Bruce Willis and actress Demi Moore. She has appeared in films ''Hostage'' (2005), '' The House Bunny'' (2008), ''Sorority Row'' (2009) and ''On ...
,
Rita Wilson
Rita Wilson (born Margarita Ibrahimoff; October 26, 1956) is an American actress, singer, and producer. Her film appearances include ''Volunteers'' (1985), ''Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993), '' Now and Then'' (1995), ''That Thing You Do!'' (1996), ...
,
Ryoko Yonekura
is a Japanese actress and former fashion model best known for her role in the Japanese medical drama '' Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon''. She also performs the voice of Black Widow in the Japanese-language releases of the ''Avengers'' film seri ...
,
Karen Ziemba
Karen Ziemba (born November 12, 1957) is an American actress, singer and dancer, best known for her work in musical theatre. In 2000, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in ''Contact''.
Biography
Ziem ...
*Velma Kelly:
Pia Douwes
Pia Douwes (born 5 August 1964) is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical ''Elisabeth''.
Biography
Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Nether ...
,
Deidre Goodwin
Deidre Goodwin (born September 15, 1969, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is an American actress known for such films and television series as ''Chicago'', '' Half Nelson'', ''Life on Mars'', '' The Bourne Legacy'' and ''Across the Universe''.
Career
A ...
,
Lana Gordon
Lana Jean Gordon is an American singer, best known for her appearances in Broadway and theatre productions.
Early life and education
Gordon was born in New London, Connecticut. In 1989, she studied dance at New York City's Alvin Ailey School ...
,
Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, director, singer and dancer. She is known for her role as Dina in the 1988 film '' School Daze'' and as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off '' A Different World ...
,
Mýa Harrison
Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a ...
,
Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
,
Carly Hughes,
Nikka Graff Lanzarone
Nikka Graff Lanzarone (born November 20, 1983) is an actress and dancer.
Early life
On November 20, 1983, Lanzarone was born in Los Angeles, California. Lanzarone's mother is Ilene Graff, an actress. Lanzarone's father is Ben Lanzarone, a comp ...
,
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence (born June 29, 1961) is an American actress who played Sylvia Costas Sipowicz in the ABC drama series '' NYPD Blue''. The role garnered her three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in ...
,
Ute Lemper
Ute Gertrud Lemper (; born 4 July 1963) is a German singer and actress. Her roles in musicals include playing Sally Bowles in the original Paris production of ''Cabaret'', for which she won the 1987 Molière Award for Best Newcomer, and Velma ...
,
Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis (born March 17, 1960) is an American singer and actress of film, stage, and television. She is best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom '' NewsRadio''.
Personal life
Lewis was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daught ...
,
Bianca Marroquín,
Luba Mason
Luba Mason is an American actress, singer, songwriter and dancer. She has starred on Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theaters in plays and musicals and television and film. As a singer, she has performed in International Jazz and Music Festiva ...
,
Anna Montanaro
Anna Montanaro (born 2 November 1973) is a German actress. She is one of Germany's most famous musical performers. After Hildegard Knef and Ute Lemper she made it as the third German artist to play in a leading role on Broadway.
Life and ca ...
,
Caroline O'Connor,
Reva Rice
Reva Rice is an American musical theatre actress and singer, best known for originating the role of Pearl in ''Starlight Express'' on Broadway, and subsequently playing the role in the London production after its 1992 revision as well as on tour ...
,
Amra-Faye Wright
Amra-Faye Wright (born 22 August 1960) is a South African stage actress best known for portraying Velma Kelly in the musical ''Chicago (musical), Chicago'', both on Broadway theater, Broadway and in international tours. In 2010, she became the fi ...
,
Leigh Zimmerman
*Billy Flynn:
Pasquale Aleardi,
Obba Babatundé
Obba Babatundé (born Donald Cohen; December 1, 1951) is an American actor. A native of Queens, New York City, he has appeared in more than seventeen stage productions, thirty theatrical films, sixty made-for-television films, and two prime-time ...
,
Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett (born February 28, 1957) is an American actor and tenor who is mostly known for his work within American theatre. Barrett has performed in musicals and in concerts with theatres, symphony orchestras, opera houses, and concert halls ...
,
Hinton Battle
Hinton Battle (born November 29, 1956) is an American actor, singer, dancer, and dance instructor. He has won three Tony Awards, all in the category of Featured Actor in a Musical. He was the first to portray the Scarecrow in the stage version ...
,
Erich Bergen,
Wayne Brady
Wayne Alphonso Brady (born June 2, 1972) is an American television personality, comedian, actor, and singer. He is a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' He was the host ...
,
Jaime Camil
Jaime Federico Said Camil de Saldanha da Gama (born 22 July 1973) is a Mexican actor, singer and television personality. He is best known for his roles as Fernando Mendiola in '' La Fea Más Bella'' and Rogelio de la Vega in '' Jane the Virgin' ...
,
Philip Casnoff
Philip Casnoff (born August 3, 1949) is an American actor, known for his roles in TV series and on Broadway. He has also been a director.
Early life and education
Philip L. Casnoff was born on August 3, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. H ...
,
Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield (né Maxwell P.J. Newby; born 23 November 1959) is a British-American film, stage, and television actor and singer. He has appeared in '' Grease 2'' (1982), '' Electric Dreams'' (1984), '' The Boys Next Door'' (1985), '' The ...
,
Chuck Cooper,
Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single " Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...
,
Jason Danieley
Jason D. Danieley (born July 13, 1971) is an American actor, singer, concert performer and recording artist. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was married to fellow performer Marin Mazzie.
Career
Ben Brantley, in a review of ''Curtains'' ...
,
Taye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals '' Rent'' and ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series ''Private Practice'' (2007-2013), ''Murder in the ...
,
Brandon Victor Dixon
Brandon Victor Dixon (born September 23, 1981) is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Awards, Tony Award-nominated Broadway theatre, Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 music ...
,
Colman Domingo
Colman Jason Domingo (born November 28, 1969) is an American actor, writer, and director widely known for his performance as Mr. Bones in the Broadway musical '' The Scottsboro Boys'' (2011), and for his role as recovering drug addict Ali on HBO ...
,
John Dossett,
Christopher Fitzgerald,
Alexander Gemignani,
Eddie George
Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily ...
,
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
,
Louis Gossett Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (born May 27, 1936) is an American actor. Born in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, He had his stage debut at the age of 17, in a school production of '' You Can't Take It with You.'' Shortly after he successfully ...
,
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall (born February 1, 1971) is an American actor and singer best known for his roles as Dexter Morgan, the titular character in the Showtime series '' Dexter,'' and David Fisher in the HBO drama series '' Six Feet Under.'' Thes ...
,
Todrick Hall
Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition '' American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a huge following on Yo ...
,
George Hamilton,
Harry Hamlin
Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'' and as Michael Kuzak in the legal drama series '' L.A. Law' ...
,
Gregory Harrison
Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Chandler in the 1987 film ''North Shore'', as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre (played by Per ...
,
Tom Hewitt,
James Monroe Iglehart
James Monroe Iglehart (born September 4, 1974) He met his wife Dawn in the Mt. Eden High School
Mt. Eden High School is a public high school in Hayward, California, United States, founded in 1960. It is part of the Hayward Unified School ...
,
Gregory Jbara
Gregory Jbara (; born September 28, 1961) is an American film, television, and stage actor, and a singer.
Early life and education
Jbara was born in Nankin Township (now Westland), Michigan, the son of an advertising office manager and an insur ...
,
Joey Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. (born April 20, 1976) is an American actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and game show host. He got his start as a child star in the early 1980s and is best known for his role as Joey Russo in ''Blo ...
,
Huey Lewis
Hugh Anthony Cregg III (born July 5, 1950), known professionally as Huey Lewis, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor.
Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band, Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many o ...
,
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in Europe, on Broadway, in film, television, recordings and regional theatre. Productions that he has been involved in include ''Dessa Rose'', ''Miss Saigon'', '' T ...
,
Hal Linden
Hal Linden (born Harold Lipshitz, March 20, 1931) is an American stage and screen actor, television director and musician.
Linden began his career as a big band musician and singer in the 1950s. After a stint in the United States Army, he began ...
,
Peter Lockyer,
Jeff McCarthy
Jeffrey Charles McCarthy (born October 16, 1954) is an American actor and director.
Early life
McCarthy was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Santa Maria, California - growing up blocks away from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, ...
,
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald (born February 15, 1955) is an American film, television, theatre and voice actor.
McDonald is best known for playing the villainous professional golfer Shooter McGavin in the 1996 comedy '' Happy Gilmore''. Other notabl ...
,
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for ...
,
Paul Alexander Nolan
Paul Alexander Nolan is a Canadian actor who appeared in Jeremy O. Harris’ Slave Play at New York Theatre Workshop. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. ...
,
John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor, comedian, singer, author, game show host and television personality. He is known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', and was the sixth host of the ...
,
Adam Pascal
Adam Pascal (born October 25, 1970) is an American actor, singer, and musician, known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original 1996 cast of Jonathan Larson's musical ''Rent'' on Broadway, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the ...
,
Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 ...
,
Clarke Peters
Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...
,
Ron Raines
Ron Raines (born December 2, 1949) is an American actor. He is known for the role of Alan Spaulding on the television soap opera ''Guiding Light''. Raines also performs in musical theatre and in concert with symphony orchestras.
Career
Early ye ...
,
Kevin Richardson,
John Schneider,
Matthew Settle
Jeffrey Matthew Settle (born September 17, 1969) is an American actor. He is known for playing Captain Ronald Speirs on the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' and Rufus Humphrey on the CW teen drama series ''Gossip Girl''.
Early life
Settl ...
,
Chaz Lamar Shepherd
Chaz Lamar Shepherd is an American actor and singer-songwriter. Best known as Artis Tower in '' Me and the Boys'' (1994-1995), John Hamilton on '' 7th Heaven'' (1996-2001), and Piranha in ''Luke Cage'' (2018).
Early life
Shepherd grew up in Phi ...
,
Christopher Sieber
Christopher Luverne Sieber (born February 18, 1969) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles Kevin Burke in '' Two of a Kind (American TV series)'' and Agatha Trunchbull in ''Matilda the Musical''. He was nominated for the Tony Aw ...
,
Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
,
Elvis Stojko
Elvis Stojko, (born March 22, 1972) is a Canadian figure skater. He was a three-time World champion (1994, 1995, 1997), two-time Olympic silver medallist (1994, 1998), and seven-time Canadian champion (1994, 1996–2000, and 2002).
Persona ...
,
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze (; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for playing distinctive lead roles, particularly romantic, tough, and comedic characters. He was also known for his media image and ...
,
Paulo Szot Paulo is a Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, and Italian masculine given name equivalent to English Paul. Notable people with the name include:
*Paulo Jr.
* Paulo Jr. (footballer)
* Paulo Almeida, Brazilian footballer
* Paulo André Cren Benini (born 1 ...
,
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke (born Alan Willis Jeffrey; March 1, 1947December 13, 2016) was a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is the father of singer Robin Thicke. In 2013, Thicke was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Thicke was b ...
,
Robert Urich
Robert Michael Urich (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002) was an American film, television, and stage actor, and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series.
Urich began his ca ...
,
Usher
Usher may refer to:
Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place:
* Usher (occupation)
** Church usher
** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony
** Fie ...
,
Ben Vereen
Benjamin Augustus Vereen (born October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. Vereen gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received a Ton ...
,
Tom Wopat
Thomas Steven Wopat (born September 9, 1951) is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Lucas K. "Luke" Duke on the long-running television action/comedy series '' The Dukes of Hazzard''. Since then, Wopat has worked regularly, ...
,
Tony Yazbeck,
Billy Zane
William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...
,
Adrian Zmed,
Marco Zunino
Marco Aurelio Zunino Costa (born 12 November 1976) is a Peruvian actor, singer, songwriter and dancer. In his country has starred in the musicals ''Jesucristo Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music b ...
*Amos Hart:
Rob Bartlett
Robert James Bartlett (born May 18, 1957) is an American comedian, actor, impressionist, and writer, and Owner/Director of RAFCO Theatrical, who gained widespread fame on the radio show ''Imus in the Morning''.
''Imus in the Morning''
Bartlett ...
,
Kevin Carolan
Kevin Carolan (born May 22, 1968, in Bronx, NY) is an American actor and comedian. During his career, he has had roles on television, stage, and film.
Career
Carolan studied theatre at Montclair State University in New Jersey in the late 1980s.
...
,
Kevin Chamberlin
Kevin Chamberlin (born November 25, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his theatre roles such as Horton in ''Seussical'' and Uncle Fester in ''The Addams Family (musical), The Addams Family''. For his theatre work, he received three Tony ...
,
Cory English
Cory English (born 1968) is an American actor.
Early life
Born into a blue collar family in Rochester, New York, English was the youngest of four boys. English attended Wayne Central School District, Wayne Central High School in Ontario, New Yo ...
,
Christopher Fitzgerald,
Tom McGowan
Thomas McGowan (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He first became known for his stage career both on and off Broadway. In 1991, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in ...
,
Isaac Mizrahi
Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American fashion designer, television presenter and chief designer of the Isaac Mizrahi brand for Xcel Brands. Based in New York City, he is best known for his eponymous fashion lines. Mizrahi was prev ...
,
Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an American actor. Often cast as a mafioso, he is best known for his portrayal of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''.
Early life
Pastore was born to an Italian-Americ ...
,
Ernie Sabella
Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from ''The Lion King'' franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 film. Sabella's TV roles include Mr. Donal ...
,
Chris Sullivan,
Paul C. Vogt
*Matron “Mama” Morton:
Kandi Burruss
Kandi Lenice Burruss Tucker (born May 17, 1976), known professionally by her mononym Kandi, is an American producer, television personality, singer, songwriter and actress. She first gained notice in 1992 as a member of the female vocal group Xs ...
,
B.J. Crosby
B.J. Crosby (November 23, 1952 – March 27, 2015) was an American jazz vocalist, singer, and actress. In 1995, Crosby received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for her performance in the musical, '' Smokey Joe's Caf ...
,
Lea DeLaria
Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. DeLaria is credited with being the first openly gay comic to appear on American television with her 1993 appearance on ''The Arsenio Hall Show''. She is best kno ...
,
Larisa Dolina
Larisa Aleksandrovna Dolina (russian: link=no, Лариса Александровна Долина, , née Kudelman, Кудельман, formerly Mionchinskaya, Миончинская; born 10 September 1955) is an Azerbaijani-born prominent Rus ...
,
Debbie Gravitte
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte is an American actress and singer. She was born in Los Angeles, California.
Career
Gravitte made her Broadway debut in the chorus of ''They're Playing Our Song'' in 1979. She performed on Broadway in '' Blues in the Nigh ...
,
Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She started her career on Broadway theatre, Broadway in musicals such as ''Dreamgirls (musical), Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with G ...
,
Cady Huffman
Cady Huffman is an American actress.
Early life
Huffman was born in Santa Barbara, California, to Lorayne, a pre-school assistant director turned realtor, and Clifford Huffman, an attorney. She is the younger sister of actor Linus Huffman and a ...
,
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
,
NeNe Leakes
Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes (; née Johnson; born December 13, 1967) is an American television personality, actress, presenter, businesswoman, author, and fashion designer.
Born in Queens, New York and raised in Athens, Georgia, she is best ...
,
Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox is an American actress, best known for her performances in Broadway theatre. Her performance in the play '' Doubt: A Parable'' garnered her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2005. She received another Tony Award ...
,
Debra Monk
Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and writer, best known for her performances on the Broadway stage. She earned her first Tony Award for the 1993 production of ''Redwood Curtain'' and won an Emmy Award for seve ...
,
Anne L. Nathan
Anne L. Nathan is an American actress and singer.
Career
Anne L. Nathan made her Broadway debut in 1998 as Brigit in ''Ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its car ...
,
Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. On television, she played Dr. Lilith Sternin, Frasier Crane's wife, on both the TV sitcom ''Cheers'' (in a starring role) and its spin-off ''F ...
,
Michele Pawk
Michele Pawk (born November 16, 1961) is an American actress and singer. She is also an associate professor for theatre.
Biography
Born in Butler, Pennsylvania, Pawk attended Allegheny College and the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, ...
,
Christine Pedi
Christine Pedi born in 1961-1962, is an American television and theatre actress, as well as a cabaret performer and radio personality.
Early life
Pedi was born in Yonkers, New York, lived in the Bronx and then moved to Eastchester, New York ...
,
Roz Ryan
Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen; July 7, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and comedian who has worked for productions in film, television, and Broadway theatre for over 40 years. Ryan's first role on Broadway was in '' Ain't Misbehavin, a F ...
,
Camille Saviola
Camille Saviola (July 16, 1950 – October 28, 2021) was an American actress and singer. She appeared in numerous films, television series, plays and musicals.
Early life
Saviola was born in The Bronx, New York City, New York, the daughter of ...
,
Valerie Simpson
Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946).
Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...
,
Angie Stone
Angela Laverne Brown (born December 18, 1961) known professionally as Angie Stone, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence. In the early 1990 ...
,
Mary Testa
Mary Testa (born June 4, 1955) is an American stage and film actress. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's '' On the Town'' (1998), '' 42nd Street'' (2001) and'' Oklahoma'' (2019).
Early lif ...
,
Aida Turturro
Aida Turturro ( ; born September 25, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Janice Soprano on the HBO drama series ''The Sopranos''.
Early life and education
Aida Turturro was born in Buffalo, New York, daughter o ...
,
Sofía Vergara
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara (; born July 10, 1972) is a Colombian and American actress and model. She was the highest paid actress in American television from 2013 to 2020. ,
Lillias White
Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway musical '' Romance in Hard Times''. ...
,
Terri White
Terri White is an American actress and singer.
Career
The daughter of traveling musicians Bill White and Gertrude Hughes, White has appeared in '' Nunsense 2: The Sequel'' (1994), '' Ain't Misbehavin (1978), '' Barnum'' (1980), '' Welcome to ...
,
Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams Hunter ( Wendy Joan Williams; born July 18, 1964) is an American broadcaster and writer. From 2008 to 2021, she hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show ''The Wendy Williams Show.''
Prior to television, Williams ...
,
Chandra Wilson
Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director. She is best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in the ABC television drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Emmy fo ...
,
Carol Woods
Carol may refer to:
People with the name
*Carol (given name)
* Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist
* Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress
*Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor A ...
,
Jinkx Monsoon
Jerick Roman Lamar Hoffer (born September 18, 1987), better known by the stage name Jinkx Monsoon, is an American drag performer, actor, comedian and singer best known for winning the fifth season of '' RuPaul's Drag Race'' and the seventh sea ...
*Mary Sunshine:
Daniel Levine,
Max von Essen
Max von Essen (born January 11, 1974) is an American stage and screen actor, and vocalist.
Life and career
Raised on Long Island, von Essen is a graduate of South Side High School in Rockville Centre, New York. He attended the University of ...
West End revival (1997–2012)
*Roxie Hart:
Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, musical theatre actress and record producer. She is one of Australia's highest-selling artists and has sold over 10 million records worldwid ...
,
Emma Barton
Emma Louise Barton (born 26 July 1977) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for the role of Honey Mitchell in '' EastEnders'' which she has portrayed on and off since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appear ...
,
Christie Brinkley
Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues'', ultimately appearing on an unprecedented ...
,
Jennifer Ellison
Jennifer Lesley Ellison (born 30 May 1983) is an English actress, former glamour model, television personality, dancer and singer. Ellison is perhaps best known for playing Emily Shadwick in the television soap opera '' Brookside'' until 2003, a ...
,
America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, Ferrera developed an interest in acting at a young age, performing in several stage productions at her school. She made her featur ...
,
Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
,
Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963) is a British stage and television actress, and a former ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays.
Theatrical career
Gabrielle was born in London in October 1963 to ...
,
Jill Halfpenny
Jill Halfpenny (born 15 July 1975) is an English actress. Her notable roles include List of Coronation Street characters (1999)#Rebecca Hopkins, Rebecca Hopkins in ITV (TV channel), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1999–2000), Kate Mitch ...
,
Linzi Hateley
Linzi Hateley (born 23 October 1970) is an English stage actress. At the age of 21, in 1992, she became one of the youngest nominees for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as the Narrator in the West End ...
,
Bonnie Langford
Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...
,
Aoife Mulholland
Aoife Mulholland ( , ; born 29 May 1978) is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart (twice) in ''Chicago'', at the Cambridge ...
,
Petra Nielsen,
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...
,
Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle (born 29 August 1965) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She won a Tony Award in 1987, and represented the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest with the song " Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)", f ...
,
Suzanne Shaw
Suzanne Christine Crowshaw (born 29 September 1981), known as Suzanne Shaw, is an English actress, singer and television personality, who rose to fame after winning the talent contest ''Popstars'' and subsequently being a member of the band Hear' ...
,
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
,
Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
,
Claire Sweeney
Claire Jane Sweeney (born 17 April 1971) is an English actress, singer and television personality, best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' and playing the role of Roxie Hart in the musica ...
,
Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett (born 15 April 1962, London, England) is a British singer and actress. She participated in two editions of the Eurovision Song Contest and West End productions.
Career
Triplett first represented the United Kingdom in the Eu ...
,
Denise van Outen,
Michelle Williams
*Velma Kelly:
Anna-Jane Casey,
Pia Douwes
Pia Douwes (born 5 August 1964) is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical ''Elisabeth''.
Biography
Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Nether ...
,
Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
,
Nicola Hughes,
Debbie Kurup
Debbie Kurup (born 3 July 1979) is an English actress.
Acting career
Kurup's theatrical credits include: !Sweet Charity! (Donmar Warehouse), "Girl from the North Country" (Old Vic -original London cast) and "The Threepenny Opera" (National Theatr ...
,
Rachel McDowall,
Anna Montanaro
Anna Montanaro (born 2 November 1973) is a German actress. She is one of Germany's most famous musical performers. After Hildegard Knef and Ute Lemper she made it as the third German artist to play in a leading role on Broadway.
Life and ca ...
,
Valerie Pettiford,
Leigh Zimmerman
*Billy Flynn:
Luca Barbareschi
Luca Barbareschi (born 28 July 1956 in Montevideo) is an Italian-Uruguayan actor, television presenter, and former member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. Barbareschi is Jewish.
He was one of four actors whom the Italian police believed ha ...
,
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...
,
David Bedella
David Bedella (born September 25, 1962) is an American actor. He is currently based in London and is best known for his Olivier award-winning roles in '' Jerry Springer – The Opera'', ''In The Heights'' and '' & Juliet''.
Early life
Bedella ...
,
Darius Campbell
Darius Campbell Danesh (19 August 1980 – 11 August 2022) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, actor and film producer. He first came to prominence as Darius Danesh when he appeared in the first series of ''Popstars'' in 2001, and the 2002 inaug ...
,
Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield (né Maxwell P.J. Newby; born 23 November 1959) is a British-American film, stage, and television actor and singer. He has appeared in '' Grease 2'' (1982), '' Electric Dreams'' (1984), '' The Boys Next Door'' (1985), '' The ...
,
Robin Cousins
Robin Cousins, MBE (born 17 August 1957) is a British former competitive figure skater who was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1980. He was the 1980 Olympic champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist (1978–19 ...
,
Juan Pablo Di Pace
Juan Pablo Di Pace (born 25 July 1979) is an Argentine actor and singer. He began his career in the United Kingdom, performing in a number of musicals and appearing in films like ''Survival Island'' (2005) and ''Mamma Mia!'' (2008). He later move ...
,
John Diedrich
John Edwin Diedrich (born 25 February 1953 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian actor, director, producer and singer, known for stage and television roles in Australia and the UK.
He played the lead role of Curly in the 1980 West End revi ...
,
Sacha Distel
Alexandre "Sacha" Distel (29 January 1933 – 22 July 2004) was a French singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor who had hits with a cover version of " Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" in 1970, which reached No 10 in the UK Charts, " Scoubidou ...
,
Michael French
Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in '' EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in '' Casualty'' and former ...
,
Matthew Goodgame
Matthew Goodgame (born c.1980) is a professional actor, singer and dancer from Kent.
He made his professional and West End debut in November 2004 playing Billy Flynn in ''Chicago'' at the Adelphi Theatre, after winning the Channel 4 series ''Mu ...
,
Michael Greco,
Tony Hadley
Anthony Patrick Hadley (born 2 June 1960) is an English pop singer. He rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of the new wave band Spandau Ballet and launched a solo career following the group's split in 1990. Hadley returned to the ban ...
,
David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...
,
Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey (born 28 May 1973) is a British actor and singer, who starred as Neal Hudson on the CBS TV medical drama '' Code Black''. He is best known for playing Zafar Younis on the BBC One spy drama series '' Spooks''. In 2014, he played ...
,
Duncan James
Duncan James (born Duncan Inglis, 7 April 1978) is an English singer and actor. He became widely known in 2001 as a member of the boy band Blue and later for playing Ryan Knight in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks''.
Early life
James grew u ...
,
Ian Kelsey
Ian Kelsey (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Dave Glover in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Patrick Spiller in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', DI Richard Mayne in the ITV crime drama '' Blue Murder'' ...
,
Craig McLachlan
Craig Dougall McLachlan (born 1 September 1965) is an Australian actor, musician, singer and composer. He has been involved in film, television, the music industry and music theatre for over 30 years. He is best known for appearing in the soap ...
,
Jimmy Osmond
James Arthur Osmond (born April 16, 1963), also known as Little Jimmy Osmond, is an American singer, actor, and businessman. He is the youngest member of the sibling musical group the Osmonds. As a solo artist, Osmond has accumulated six gold re ...
,
Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 ...
,
Clarke Peters
Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...
,
Kevin Richardson,
Rolf Saxon
Rolf Saxon is an American actor. He is well known for his voice over work in video games, movies and TV shows.
Life and career
Saxon was born at Fort Belvoir in Alexandria, Virginia. He has worked with American Conservatory Theatre, Cal Shakes, ...
,
Michael Siberry
Michael Siberry (born 1956) is an Australian stage and screen actor.
Life and career
Siberry was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia and began his career in Ade ...
,
Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
,
Jonathan Wilkes
Jonathan Wilkes (born 1 August 1978) is an English television presenter and singer.
Early life and career
Jonathan Wilkes was born in Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, to Eileen Wilkes and Graham Wilkes, and spent most of his childhood in ...
,
Gary Wilmot
Harold Owen "Gary" Wilmot, MBE (born 8 May 1954) is a British singer, actor, comedian, presenter, writer and director who rose to fame as a contestant on ''New Faces''. As a television presenter, he is best known as the host of '' You and Me'' ...
*Amos Hart:
Justin Lee Collins
Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is an actor and former radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.
Collins began his career as a stand up comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens. He then presented a number of TV s ...
,
Peter Davison
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
,
Les Dennis
Leslie Dennis Heseltine (born 12 October 1953) is an English television presenter, actor, and comedian. He presented '' Family Fortunes'' from 1987 until 2002.
Early life
Dennis was born Leslie Dennis Heseltine on 12 October 1953 in the Liverpo ...
,
James Doherty,
Joel Grey
Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret'' on Broadway as well as in the 1972 fil ...
,
Gareth Hale
Gareth Irvin Hale is an English comedian and actor, who is best known as one half of the comedy duo Hale and Pace, with his friend and comic partner Norman Pace.
Biography
Hale and his comedy partners were both former teachers, their comedy ...
,
Kevin Kennedy,
George Layton
George Layton (born 2 March 1943) is an English actor, director, screenwriter and author best known for three television roles – junior doctor Paul Collier in the comedy series ''Doctor in the House'' and its sequels '' Doctor at Large'', '' ...
, Victor McGuire, Dale Meeks, Norman Pace, Clive Rowe
*Matron “Mama” Morton: Lynda Carter, Sharon D. Clarke, Anita Dobson, Brenda Edwards, Diane Langton, Alison Moyet, Kelly Osbourne, Gaby Roslin
*Mary Sunshine:
Cory English
Cory English (born 1968) is an American actor.
Early life
Born into a blue collar family in Rochester, New York, English was the youngest of four boys. English attended Wayne Central School District, Wayne Central High School in Ontario, New Yo ...
, Nathan Kiley
Musical and staging style
According to
Fred Ebb
Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita R ...
, he wrote the book in a
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic compositio ...
style because "the characters were performers. Every musical moment in the show was loosely modeled on someone else: Roxie was Helen Morgan (singer), Helen Morgan, Velma was Texas Guinan, Billy Flynn was Ted Lewis (musician), Ted Lewis, Mama Morton was Sophie Tucker." Composer
John Kander
John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including '' ...
elaborates that the reason the show was called a vaudeville "is because many of the songs we wrote are related to specific performers like those you mentioned, and Eddie Cantor and Bert Williams as well."
It was through the initial production, and not the writing, that many of the "traditional" ''Chicago'' staging conventions were developed:
The double snap in "Razzle Dazzle" was added as an afterthought at the suggestion of Ebb to Kander. Kander explains: "I remember when we wrote "Razzle Dazzle", before we took it in and played it for Bob, you [Ebb] said with absolute confidence 'Try adding a couple of finger snaps to it. Bobby will love that.' We added them...and as soon as he heard the finger snaps, he loved the song."
[ During rehearsals, "Razzle Dazzle" was originally staged as an orgy on the steps of the courthouse. Fosse was talked out of allowing this staging, when Orbach "convinced him that he was missing the Brechtian subtlety intrinsic in the number."][Leve, James.]
''Kander and Ebb'', "Chapter: Chicago-Broadway To Hollywood"
''Kander and Ebb'', Yale University Press, 2009, , p. 86
The original finale was "Loopin' the Loop", a doubles act with Verdon and Rivera; however, "the scene seemed too much like an amateur act so Fosse asked for something more 'glamorous in pretty gowns'". The piece was cut and replaced with "Nowadays". Instrumental sections of "Loopin' the Loop" can still be heard in the Overture.[ Two other sections termed "Keep It Hot" and "RSVP" were cut from the finale as well.
Another principal character, a theatrical agent named Harry Glassman, was played by David Rounds, whose role was to exploit the notoriety of the prisoners for his own gain. He also served as the evening's Master of Ceremonies, M.C. This character's role and the song "Ten Percent" was cut, with the character folded into that of Matron Mama Morton, and various members of the chorus shared his M.C. duties.
In a reversal of roles, Fosse decided the lyrics for "Class" were too offensive and censored Kander and Ebb's original version. One of the original lyrics "Every guy is a snot/Every girl is a twat" was restored for the 2002 film, although the entire number was cut from the final product.
]
Productions
Original Broadway production
''Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville'' opened on June 3, 1975 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 46th Street Theatre, and ran for a total of 936 performances, closing on August 27, 1977. The opening night cast starred Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...
as Velma Kelly, Gwen Verdon
Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon (January 13, 1925October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach for t ...
as Roxie Hart, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and Barney Martin as Amos Hart. Velma Kelly had been a comparatively minor character in all versions of ''Chicago'' prior to the musical rendering. The role was fleshed out to balance Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...
's role opposite Gwen Verdon's Roxie Hart.
The musical received mixed reviews. The Bertolt Brecht, Brechtian style of the show, which frequently dropped the fourth wall, made audiences uncomfortable. According to James Leve, "''Chicago'' is cynical and subversive, exploiting American cultural mythologies in order to attack American celebrity culture."
The show opened the same year as Michael Bennett (theater), Michael Bennett's highly successful ''A Chorus Line'', which beat out ''Chicago'' in both ticket sales and at the Tony Awards. The show was on the verge of closing when it ran into another setback: Gwen Verdon had to have surgery on nodes in her throat after inhaling a feather during the show's finale. The producers contemplated closing the show, but Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
stepped in and offered to play the role of Roxie Hart in place of Verdon. Her run lasted slightly over a month (August 8, 1975, through September 13, 1975), boosting the show's popularity, until Gwen Verdon recuperated and returned to the show. Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
, who would go on to star in the highly successful 1996 revival and choreography, choreograph that production in the style of Bob Fosse, was also a cast replacement for Roxie Hart during the show's original run.
1979 West End
The first West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
, London production opened at the Cambridge Theatre in April 1979 and ran for around 600 performances (having had its European premiere at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, on 23 November 1978). It commenced in the West End with most of the Sheffield cast, and was directed by Peter James and choreographed by Gillian Gregory. The producers were Ray Cooney and Larry Parnes. Jenny Logan starred as Velma Kelly, with Ben Cross as Billy, Antonia Ellis as Roxie Hart and Don Fellows as Amos Hart. Ellis (Actress of the Year in a Musical) and Ben Cross (Actor of the Year in a Musical) were nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for their performances, and the musical was nominated as Musical of the Year. Elizabeth Seal later replaced Ellis as Roxie Hart.
1981 Australia
The original Australian production opened at the Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre in June 1981. Featuring Nancye Hayes (Roxie), Geraldine Turner (Velma), Terence Donovan (actor), Terence Donovan (Billy), Judi Connelli (Mama) and George Spartels (Amos), it was a new production directed by Richard Wherrett for the Sydney Theatre Company, rather than a replica of the Broadway production. It transferred to the Theatre Royal, Sydney, Theatre Royal in Sydney, before touring to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Comedy Theatre, Adelaide's Adelaide Festival Centre, Festival Theatre and a return season at the Theatre Royal, playing until March 1982. Sydney Theatre Company's production also toured to the Hong Kong Arts Festival in February 1983.
1992 Los Angeles production
The Long Beach Civic Light Opera presented Chicago in 1992, directed by Rob Marshall with choreography by Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
. Juliet Prowse played Roxy opposite Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. On television, she played Dr. Lilith Sternin, Frasier Crane's wife, on both the TV sitcom ''Cheers'' (in a starring role) and its spin-off ''F ...
as Velma. Gary Sandy played Billy Flynn with Kaye Ballard as Mama Morton.
1996 Broadway revival
New York City Center, City Center Encores! series presented ''Chicago'' in concert in May 1996.[Haun, Harry and Viagas, Rober]
"Hit 'Encores!' 'Chicago' Definite for B'way"
playbill.com, June 18, 1996 The Encores! series, according to their statement, "celebrates the rarely heard works of America's most important composers and lyricists...Encores! gives three glorious scores the chance to be heard as their creators originally intended."
The production was directed by Walter Bobbie with choreography "in the style of Bob Fosse
Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals '' The Paja ...
" by Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
, who also reprised her previous role as Roxie Hart.[ Also in the cast were ]Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. On television, she played Dr. Lilith Sternin, Frasier Crane's wife, on both the TV sitcom ''Cheers'' (in a starring role) and its spin-off ''F ...
as Velma Kelly, Joel Grey
Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret'' on Broadway as well as in the 1972 fil ...
as Amos Hart and James Naughton as Billy Flynn.[ The show was well-received, with Howard Kissel, reviewing for the ''New York Daily News'' writing that "This ''Chicago'' impressed me far more than the original.". Ben Brantley, in his review for ''The New York Times'', wrote " 'Make love to the audience' was another Fosse dictum. That's exactly what Ms. Reinking and her ensemble do. ''Chicago'' can still seem glibly cynical and artificially cold, especially in its weaker second act. But these performers know just how to take off the chill." By May 10, 1996, there was talk of a Broadway production: "Down the block, there is a move afoot to move the Encores production of ''Chicago'' to Broadway. Rocco Landesman said that he and Fran and Barry Weissler wanted to bring the production to the Martin Beck Theater this summer."
Barry and Fran Weissler brought the Encores! production to Broadway, after some revision and expansion, but retaining the spare and minimalist style in costumes and set.][Sommer, Elyse]
"Review. 'Chicago'"
curtainup.com, accessed April 19, 2015 The set design includes the presence of the band center stage in an evocation of a jury box, around and upon which the actors play some scenes. There are also chairs along the sides of this central piece, in which the actors at times sit or lounge, when not directly involved in the action. The show opened on November 14, 1996, at the
Richard Rodgers Theatre (the same theater where the original production had played) with a script adapted by David Thompson (writer), David Thompson, eventually setting a record for recovering its initial costs faster than any other musical in history, likely due in part to the stripped-down design elements.
Unlike the original production, the revival was met with praise from critics. The ''CurtainUp'' reviewer noted, "The show garnered ecstatic reviews, enviable box office sales and enough awards to warrant a special Chicago trophy room."[ Society had changed in light of events such as the O. J. Simpson murder case, and audiences were more receptive to the criminal-as-celebrity theme of the show.
The revival of ''Chicago'' won six Tony Awards, more than any other revival in ]Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
history until ''South Pacific (musical), South Pacific'' won seven Tonys in 2008. ''Chicago'' won for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Bebe Neuwirth
Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. On television, she played Dr. Lilith Sternin, Frasier Crane's wife, on both the TV sitcom ''Cheers'' (in a starring role) and its spin-off ''F ...
, Best Leading Actor in a Musical for James Naughton, Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Ken Billington, Best Director of a Musical for Walter Bobbie and Best Choreography for Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
.[" 'Chicago' 1996 REvival"]
playbillvault.com, accessed April 19, 2015 ''Chicago: The Musical'' has run for more than 9,000 performances[" 'Chicago' Listing"]
IBDB.com and holds the record for longest-running musical revival on Broadway. Ann Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth, James Naughton, and Joel Grey returned for cameo appearances.
The cast recording of the revival was released on January 28, 1997, on RCA Victor. The cast recording won the 1997 Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Best Musical Show Album.
Among the many other performers and celebrities who have appeared in the show are Adam Pascal
Adam Pascal (born October 25, 1970) is an American actor, singer, and musician, known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original 1996 cast of Jonathan Larson's musical ''Rent'' on Broadway, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the ...
, Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke (born Alan Willis Jeffrey; March 1, 1947December 13, 2016) was a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is the father of singer Robin Thicke. In 2013, Thicke was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Thicke was b ...
, Amra-Faye Wright
Amra-Faye Wright (born 22 August 1960) is a South African stage actress best known for portraying Velma Kelly in the musical ''Chicago (musical), Chicago'', both on Broadway theater, Broadway and in international tours. In 2010, she became the fi ...
, Amy Spanger
Amy Spanger (born May 21, 1971) is an American actress, singer and dancer.
Early life
Spanger was born in Newbury, Massachusetts.
Career
Spanger made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the musical ''Sunset Boulevard'', following a half-year r ...
, Ana Villafañe
Ana Teresa Villafañe ( ; born June 5, 1989) is an American actress and singer from Miami, Florida, best known for her portrayal of pop icon Gloria Estefan in the Broadway musical ''On Your Feet!''.
Life and career
She was born on June 5, 1989, ...
, Angelica Ross
Angelica Ross (born November 28, 1980) is an American actress, businesswoman, and transgender rights advocate. A self-taught computer programmer, she went on to become founder and CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises, a firm that helps employ tran ...
, Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
, Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single " Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...
, Billy Zane
William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...
, Brandy (entertainer), Brandy Norwood, Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
, Carol Woods
Carol may refer to:
People with the name
*Carol (given name)
* Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist
* Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress
*Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor A ...
, Chandra Wilson
Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director. She is best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in the ABC television drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Emmy fo ...
, Charlotte d'Amboise
Charlotte d'Amboise (born May 11, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical ...
, Christie Brinkley
Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues'', ultimately appearing on an unprecedented ...
, Christine Pedi
Christine Pedi born in 1961-1962, is an American television and theatre actress, as well as a cabaret performer and radio personality.
Early life
Pedi was born in Yonkers, New York, lived in the Bronx and then moved to Eastchester, New York ...
, Christopher Fitzgerald, Christopher Sieber
Christopher Luverne Sieber (born February 18, 1969) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles Kevin Burke in '' Two of a Kind (American TV series)'' and Agatha Trunchbull in ''Matilda the Musical''. He was nominated for the Tony Aw ...
, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
, Debra Monk
Debra Monk (born February 27, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and writer, best known for her performances on the Broadway stage. She earned her first Tony Award for the 1993 production of ''Redwood Curtain'' and won an Emmy Award for seve ...
, Eddie George
Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily ...
, Elvis Stojko
Elvis Stojko, (born March 22, 1972) is a Canadian figure skater. He was a three-time World champion (1994, 1995, 1997), two-time Olympic silver medallist (1994, 1998), and seven-time Canadian champion (1994, 1996–2000, and 2002).
Persona ...
, Erich Bergen, Erika Jayne
Erika Girardi (née Chahoy; born July 10, 1971), known professionally as Erika Jayne, is an American singer, television personality and former actress.
Early life
Erika Girardi was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 10, 1971, to single mother Re ...
, Gretchen Mol
Gretchen Mol (born November 8, 1972) is an American actress and former model. She is known for her role as Gillian Darmody in the HBO series ''Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). She also appeared in the films ''Rounders'' (1998), ''Celebrity'' ( ...
, Isaac Mizrahi
Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American fashion designer, television presenter and chief designer of the Isaac Mizrahi brand for Xcel Brands. Based in New York City, he is best known for his eponymous fashion lines. Mizrahi was prev ...
, Jaime Camil
Jaime Federico Said Camil de Saldanha da Gama (born 22 July 1973) is a Mexican actor, singer and television personality. He is best known for his roles as Fernando Mendiola in '' La Fea Más Bella'' and Rogelio de la Vega in '' Jane the Virgin' ...
, James Monroe Iglehart
James Monroe Iglehart (born September 4, 1974) He met his wife Dawn in the Mt. Eden High School
Mt. Eden High School is a public high school in Hayward, California, United States, founded in 1960. It is part of the Hayward Unified School ...
, Jeff McCarthy
Jeffrey Charles McCarthy (born October 16, 1954) is an American actor and director.
Early life
McCarthy was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Santa Maria, California - growing up blocks away from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, ...
, Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She started her career on Broadway theatre, Broadway in musicals such as ''Dreamgirls (musical), Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with G ...
, Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer.
Nettles is the lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush, and prior to this she fronted the Atlanta-based band ...
, Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
, Joey Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence Mignogna Jr. (born April 20, 1976) is an American actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and game show host. He got his start as a child star in the early 1980s and is best known for his role as Joey Russo in ''Blo ...
, John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor, comedian, singer, author, game show host and television personality. He is known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', and was the sixth host of the ...
, Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales ...
, Kevin Richardson, Kevin Chamberlin
Kevin Chamberlin (born November 25, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his theatre roles such as Horton in ''Seussical'' and Uncle Fester in ''The Addams Family (musical), The Addams Family''. For his theatre work, he received three Tony ...
, Leigh Zimmerman, Lillias White
Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway musical '' Romance in Hard Times''. ...
, Lisa Rinna
Lisa D. Rinna (born Elizabeth Deann Rinna; July 11, 1963) is an American actress and television personality. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride ...
, Marco Zunino
Marco Aurelio Zunino Costa (born 12 November 1976) is a Peruvian actor, singer, songwriter and dancer. In his country has starred in the musicals ''Jesucristo Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music b ...
, Marilu Henner
Mary Lucy Denise Henner is an American actress. She began her career appearing in the original production of the musical '' Grease'' in 1971, before making her screen debut in the 1977 comedy-drama film '' Between the Lines''. In 1977, Henner wa ...
, Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 ...
, Mel B
Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Melanie B or Mel B, is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the girl group Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed Sc ...
, Melanie Griffith
Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. She began her career in the 1970s, appearing in several independent thriller films before achieving mainstream success in the mid-1980s.
Born in Manhattan, New York City, ...
, Melora Hardin
Melora Hardin (born June 29, 1967) is an American actress, known for her roles as Jan Levinson on NBC's '' The Office'' and Trudy Monk on USA Network's ''Monk'', and Tammy Cashman on Amazon Prime Video's '' Transparent'', for which she received ...
, Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall (born February 1, 1971) is an American actor and singer best known for his roles as Dexter Morgan, the titular character in the Showtime series '' Dexter,'' and David Fisher in the HBO drama series '' Six Feet Under.'' Thes ...
, Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams, Mýa, Nana Visitor
Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''.
...
, NeNe Leakes
Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes (; née Johnson; born December 13, 1967) is an American television personality, actress, presenter, businesswoman, author, and fashion designer.
Born in Queens, New York and raised in Athens, Georgia, she is best ...
, Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in Europe, on Broadway, in film, television, recordings and regional theatre. Productions that he has been involved in include ''Dessa Rose'', ''Miss Saigon'', '' T ...
, Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series '' Baywatch'' (1992–1997).
Ande ...
, Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze (; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer, and singer known for playing distinctive lead roles, particularly romantic, tough, and comedic characters. He was also known for his media image and ...
, Paulo Szot Paulo is a Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, and Italian masculine given name equivalent to English Paul. Notable people with the name include:
*Paulo Jr.
* Paulo Jr. (footballer)
* Paulo Almeida, Brazilian footballer
* Paulo André Cren Benini (born 1 ...
, Philip Casnoff
Philip Casnoff (born August 3, 1949) is an American actor, known for his roles in TV series and on Broadway. He has also been a director.
Early life and education
Philip L. Casnoff was born on August 3, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. H ...
, Rita Wilson
Rita Wilson (born Margarita Ibrahimoff; October 26, 1956) is an American actress, singer, and producer. Her film appearances include ''Volunteers'' (1985), ''Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993), '' Now and Then'' (1995), ''That Thing You Do!'' (1996), ...
, Rob Bartlett
Robert James Bartlett (born May 18, 1957) is an American comedian, actor, impressionist, and writer, and Owner/Director of RAFCO Theatrical, who gained widespread fame on the radio show ''Imus in the Morning''.
''Imus in the Morning''
Bartlett ...
, Roz Ryan
Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen; July 7, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and comedian who has worked for productions in film, television, and Broadway theatre for over 40 years. Ryan's first role on Broadway was in '' Ain't Misbehavin, a F ...
, Rumer Willis
Rumer Glenn Willis (born August 16, 1988) is an American actress. She is the eldest daughter of actor Bruce Willis and actress Demi Moore. She has appeared in films ''Hostage'' (2005), '' The House Bunny'' (2008), ''Sorority Row'' (2009) and ''On ...
, Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
, Samantha Harris
Samantha Harris (born Samantha Harris Shapiro; November 27, 1973) is an American television presenter, model, and entertainment reporter and actress, known as the co-host of seasons two through nine of ''Dancing with the Stars'' with Tom Bergero ...
, Shiri Maimon
Shiri Maimon (or Maymon, he, שירי מימון ; born ) is an Israeli pop/ R&B singer, TV show host and actress, who rose to fame as the runner-up in the TV show ''Kokhav Nolad''. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, w ...
, Sofía Vergara
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara (; born July 10, 1972) is a Colombian and American actress and model. She was the highest paid actress in American television from 2013 to 2020. , Taye Diggs
Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs (born January 2, 1971) is an American stage and film actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals '' Rent'' and ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', the TV series ''Private Practice'' (2007-2013), ''Murder in the ...
, Todrick Hall
Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition '' American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a huge following on Yo ...
, Tony Yazbeck, Usher (entertainer), Usher, Veronica Dunne, and Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams Hunter ( Wendy Joan Williams; born July 18, 1964) is an American broadcaster and writer. From 2008 to 2021, she hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show ''The Wendy Williams Show.''
Prior to television, Williams ...
.[
On February 12, 1997, the Broadway production moved into the larger Shubert Theatre (Broadway), Shubert Theatre.] On January 29, 2003, more than six years into its run, the Broadway production moved a second time, to the Ambassador Theatre (New York City), Ambassador Theatre, where it has played ever since. On November 23, 2014, ''Chicago'' became the second longest-running Broadway show, surpassing ''Cats''.[
]
London revivals
On November 18, 1997, the revival production opened in London's West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
. Like the New York revival, it was directed by Walter Bobbie and designed by John Lee Beatty, with choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse.[Bosanquet, Theo]
"''Ugly Betty's'' America Ferrera Leads ''Chicago'' at Garrick
, WhatsOnStage, October 10, 2011 The show ran at the Adelphi Theatre for nine years until transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in April 2006. The original cast of the production included German jazz singer Ute Lemper
Ute Gertrud Lemper (; born 4 July 1963) is a German singer and actress. Her roles in musicals include playing Sally Bowles in the original Paris production of ''Cabaret'', for which she won the 1987 Molière Award for Best Newcomer, and Velma ...
as Velma, British actress Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
as Roxie Hart, Nigel Planer as Amos Hart, and Henry Goodman as Billy Flynn. The production won the 1998 Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical, and Lemper was awarded Best Actress in a Musical. Both Lemper and Henshall have played the role of Velma on Broadway.
Like its Broadway counterpart, the London production featured many celebrities, including Alison Moyet, America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, Ferrera developed an interest in acting at a young age, performing in several stage productions at her school. She made her featur ...
, Anita Dobson, Aoife Mulholland
Aoife Mulholland ( , ; born 29 May 1978) is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart (twice) in ''Chicago'', at the Cambridge ...
, Ashlee Simpson
Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
, Bonnie Langford
Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford (born 22 July 1964) is an English actress, dancer and singer. She came to prominence as a child star in the 1970s, when she had a notable role in the TV series ''Just William''. In the 1980s, she played c ...
, Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...
, Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...
, Christie Brinkley
Christie Lee Brinkley (née Hudson; born February 2, 1954) is an American model, actress, and entrepreneur. Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in '' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues'', ultimately appearing on an unprecedented ...
, Claire Sweeney
Claire Jane Sweeney (born 17 April 1971) is an English actress, singer and television personality, best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' and playing the role of Roxie Hart in the musica ...
, Clive Rowe, Darius Campbell
Darius Campbell Danesh (19 August 1980 – 11 August 2022) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, actor and film producer. He first came to prominence as Darius Danesh when he appeared in the first series of ''Popstars'' in 2001, and the 2002 inaug ...
, David Hasselhoff
David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...
, Denise van Outen, Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle (born 29 August 1965) is an English musical theatre actress and singer. She won a Tony Award in 1987, and represented the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest with the song " Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)", f ...
, Gaby Roslin, Ian Kelsey
Ian Kelsey (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Dave Glover in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Patrick Spiller in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', DI Richard Mayne in the ITV crime drama '' Blue Murder'' ...
, James Doherty, Jennifer Ellison
Jennifer Lesley Ellison (born 30 May 1983) is an English actress, former glamour model, television personality, dancer and singer. Ellison is perhaps best known for playing Emily Shadwick in the television soap opera '' Brookside'' until 2003, a ...
, Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...
, Jill Halfpenny
Jill Halfpenny (born 15 July 1975) is an English actress. Her notable roles include List of Coronation Street characters (1999)#Rebecca Hopkins, Rebecca Hopkins in ITV (TV channel), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1999–2000), Kate Mitch ...
, Joel Grey
Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret'' on Broadway as well as in the 1972 fil ...
, John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowv ...
, Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963) is a British stage and television actress, and a former ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays.
Theatrical career
Gabrielle was born in London in October 1963 to ...
, Justin Lee Collins
Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is an actor and former radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.
Collins began his career as a stand up comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens. He then presented a number of TV s ...
, Kelly Osbourne, Kevin Richardson, Leigh Zimmerman, Les Dennis
Leslie Dennis Heseltine (born 12 October 1953) is an English television presenter, actor, and comedian. He presented '' Family Fortunes'' from 1987 until 2002.
Early life
Dennis was born Leslie Dennis Heseltine on 12 October 1953 in the Liverpo ...
, Linzi Hateley
Linzi Hateley (born 23 October 1970) is an English stage actress. At the age of 21, in 1992, she became one of the youngest nominees for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as the Narrator in the West End ...
, Lynda Carter, Maria Friedman
Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director of stage and screen, best known for her work in musical theatre.
She is an eight-time Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-wo ...
, Marti Pellow
Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the Scottish pop group Wet Wet Wet for 28 years: from their formation in 1982 until their split in 1997, and again from their reformation in 2004 ...
, Michael French
Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in '' EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in '' Casualty'' and former ...
, Michael Greco, Michelle Williams, Peter Davison
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
, Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey (born 28 May 1973) is a British actor and singer, who starred as Neal Hudson on the CBS TV medical drama '' Code Black''. He is best known for playing Zafar Younis on the BBC One spy drama series '' Spooks''. In 2014, he played ...
, Sacha Distel
Alexandre "Sacha" Distel (29 January 1933 – 22 July 2004) was a French singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor who had hits with a cover version of " Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" in 1970, which reached No 10 in the UK Charts, " Scoubidou ...
, Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett (born 15 April 1962, London, England) is a British singer and actress. She participated in two editions of the Eurovision Song Contest and West End productions.
Career
Triplett first represented the United Kingdom in the Eu ...
, Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, musical theatre actress and record producer. She is one of Australia's highest-selling artists and has sold over 10 million records worldwid ...
, and Tony Hadley
Anthony Patrick Hadley (born 2 June 1960) is an English pop singer. He rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of the new wave band Spandau Ballet and launched a solo career following the group's split in 1990. Hadley returned to the ban ...
.
The production moved out of the Cambridge Theatre on August 27, 2011 and transferred to the Garrick Theatre on November 7, 2011, starring America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, Ferrera developed an interest in acting at a young age, performing in several stage productions at her school. She made her featur ...
as Roxie.[ ]Robin Cousins
Robin Cousins, MBE (born 17 August 1957) is a British former competitive figure skater who was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1980. He was the 1980 Olympic champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist (1978–19 ...
joined the cast as Billy Flynn on July 17, 2012. The show closed on September 1, 2012 after a total run of nearly 15 years in London. The UK tour of the production continued after the closing.
To celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the West End revival production, ''Chicago'' returned, this time at the Phoenix Theatre, London, Phoenix Theatre opening April 11, 2018, starring Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination.
After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appear ...
as Billy Flynn, Sarah Soetaert as Roxie Hart, Josefina Gabrielle
Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963) is a British stage and television actress, and a former ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays.
Theatrical career
Gabrielle was born in London in October 1963 to ...
as Velma Kelly, and Ruthie Henshall
Valentine Ruth Henshall (born 7 March 1967), known professionally as Ruthie Henshall, is an English actress, singer and dancer, known for her work in musical theatre. She began her professional stage career in 1986, before making her West End de ...
as Mama Morton. A cast change saw Martin Kemp take over the role of Billy Flynn, with Alexandra Burke as Roxie Hart and Mazz Murray as Mama Morton. Denise Van Outen was announced to take over the role of Velma from 24 September 2018, but due to sustaining a stress fracture in her heel, her integration was delayed until 7 October. The production featured on ITV's reality show, The Big Audition, to cast the replacement Velma. Following multiple rounds of singing, dancing and acting auditions, Laura Tyrer was selected to fill in for the role.
North American tours
There have been ten North American national tours of ''Chicago''.[Gans, Andrew.]
"Wopat, Marroquin, MacLeod and Ryan to Head Cast of 'Chicago' Tour"
playbill.com, September 16, 2008 The first tour started in April 1997 in Cincinnati, Ohio, six months after the revival opened on Broadway. The cast featured Charlotte d'Amboise
Charlotte d'Amboise (born May 11, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical ...
(Roxie Hart), Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, director, singer and dancer. She is known for her role as Dina in the 1988 film '' School Daze'' and as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off '' A Different World ...
(Velma Kelly), Obba Babatundé
Obba Babatundé (born Donald Cohen; December 1, 1951) is an American actor. A native of Queens, New York City, he has appeared in more than seventeen stage productions, thirty theatrical films, sixty made-for-television films, and two prime-time ...
(Billy Flynn) and Carol Woods
Carol may refer to:
People with the name
*Carol (given name)
* Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist
* Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress
*Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor A ...
(Matron "Mama" Morton). A second company started in December 1997 in Tampa, Florida. The tour went on hiatus in Fall 1999 and started again in October 1999 in Denver, Colorado, featuring Robert Urich
Robert Michael Urich (December 19, 1946 – April 16, 2002) was an American film, television, and stage actor, and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series.
Urich began his ca ...
as Billy Flynn, Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis (born March 17, 1960) is an American singer and actress of film, stage, and television. She is best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom '' NewsRadio''.
Personal life
Lewis was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daught ...
(Velma) and Nana Visitor
Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''.
...
(Roxie). The next tour started in October 2000 in Stamford, Connecticut, with Robert Urich. Chita Rivera joined the tour for several weeks.
The 2003 tour started in June 2003 at the National Theatre (Washington, D.C.), National Theatre, Washington, DC, with Brenda Braxton playing Velma, Bianca Marroquin as Roxie, and Gregory Harrison
Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Chandler in the 1987 film ''North Shore'', as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre (played by Per ...
as Billy Flynn. During 2004 the tour cast included Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke (born Alan Willis Jeffrey; March 1, 1947December 13, 2016) was a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is the father of singer Robin Thicke. In 2013, Thicke was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Thicke was b ...
and Tom Wopat
Thomas Steven Wopat (born September 9, 1951) is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Lucas K. "Luke" Duke on the long-running television action/comedy series '' The Dukes of Hazzard''. Since then, Wopat has worked regularly, ...
as Billy Flynn and Carol Woods
Carol may refer to:
People with the name
*Carol (given name)
* Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist
* Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress
*Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor A ...
as Matron "Mama" Morton. The most recent tour started in November 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina and starred Tom Wopat as Billy Flynn, Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart, Terra C. MacLeod as Velma Kelly and Roz Ryan
Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen; July 7, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and comedian who has worked for productions in film, television, and Broadway theatre for over 40 years. Ryan's first role on Broadway was in '' Ain't Misbehavin, a F ...
(later replaced by Carol Woods) as Matron "Mama" Morton.[ On January 16, 2012 Peruvian actor ]Marco Zunino
Marco Aurelio Zunino Costa (born 12 November 1976) is a Peruvian actor, singer, songwriter and dancer. In his country has starred in the musicals ''Jesucristo Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music b ...
joined the cast as Billy Flynn.
2019 Australia
On 14 June 2018, the Gordon Frost Organisation announced a revival tour of ''Chicago'' commencing early 2019 at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The show starred Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Roxie and Casey Donovan (singer), Casey Donovan as Mama Morton. The Melbourne leg of the tour starred Jason Donovan as Billy Flynn. Donovan's father Terence Donovan (actor), Terence had played the same role in the 1981 Australian production.
2021 UK Tour
A new UK and Ireland tour began on September 11, 2021 at the King's Theatre, Glasgow.
International productions
The first Japanese-language production of the Tony-winning revival of Kander and Ebb's ''Chicago'' debuted in October 2008 at the Akasaka ACT Theatre in Tokyo, Japan, followed by an engagement at Osaka's Umeda Art Theatre. Presented by Barry and Fran Weissler in association with Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. and Kyodo Tokyo Inc., the b production starred Ryoko Yonekura
is a Japanese actress and former fashion model best known for her role in the Japanese medical drama '' Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon''. She also performs the voice of Black Widow in the Japanese-language releases of the ''Avengers'' film seri ...
as Roxie Hart, Yōka Wao as Velma Kelly and Ryuichi Kawamura as Billy Flynn.
In Perú, the musical opened on June 16, 2012 starring Tati Alcántara, Denisse Dibós, and Marco Zunino
Marco Aurelio Zunino Costa (born 12 November 1976) is a Peruvian actor, singer, songwriter and dancer. In his country has starred in the musicals ''Jesucristo Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music b ...
at Teatro Municipal de Lima in Lima. The show was also staged using a Spanish translation in Costa Rica in 2017 starring Silvia Baltodano and Isabel Guzman.
A French-language production of ''Chicago'', based on the Broadway 1996 revival, opened on September 18, 2018 at Théâtre Mogador in Paris with Sofia Essaïdi as Velma Kelly
Velma Kelly is one of the main characters in the successful 1975 Broadway musical ''Chicago''. Kelly is based on the character "Velma", who first appeared in the 1926 play, also called ''Chicago'', who was in-turn inspired by the life of Belva G ...
, Carien Keizer as Roxie Hart
Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives.
Development
The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...
and Jean-Luc Guizone as Billy Flynn. Directed by Dominique Trottein with a book translated by Nicolas Engel, this production is choreographed by Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway productions such as '' Coco'' (1969), '' Over Here!'' (1974), ''Goodtim ...
and the music was supervised by Rob Bowman (music writer), Rob Bowman. This production closed on June 30, 2019.
The Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, presented an entirely new production of Chicago as part of their 2020 season; the organization was granted new production rights outside of New York or London for the first time in 30 years. It was directed by Donna Feore.
A new production directed by Drew Anthony and choreographed by Lauren Ferreira was staged at The Royale Theatre at Planet Royale during September 2022, with Lucy Williamson as Velma, Elethea Sartorelli as Roxie, Brendan Hanson as Billy Flynn, Rachel Monamy as Mama Morton, Vincent Hooper as Amos and Greg Jarema as Mary Sunshine.
Recordings
There have been several cast recordings of ''Chicago'':
*1975 Original Broadway Cast
*1981 Original Australian Cast
*1996 Broadway Revival
*1998 London Cast"'Chicago' 1998 London Cast"
amazon.com, accessed October 2, 2011
*1997 Austrian (German language) Cast – Live Cast Album (with Anna Montanaro
Anna Montanaro (born 2 November 1973) is a German actress. She is one of Germany's most famous musical performers. After Hildegard Knef and Ute Lemper she made it as the third German artist to play in a leading role on Broadway.
Life and ca ...
)
*1999 Dutch Cast – Live Cast Album, 2 discs (with Pia Douwes
Pia Douwes (born 5 August 1964) is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical ''Elisabeth''.
Biography
Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Nether ...
)
*Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, 2002 Film Soundtrack
*2014 German Cast - Live Cast Album, Stuttgart, 1 disc with Nigel Casey, Lana Gordon, Carien Keizer
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
Original London production
1996 Broadway revival
1997 London revival
References
External links
*
''Chicago'', The Musical, Official Website
''Chicago'', El Musical, Spanish Production Official Website
Plot summary, character descriptions & licensing info for Chicago
New Velma on B'way
Gerónimo Rauch-Mary Sunshine in Chicago (Spain)
Ovrtur.com Listing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago (Musical)
1975 musicals
Broadway musicals
Chicago in fiction
Plays set in Illinois
Drama Desk Award-winning musicals
Laurence Olivier Award-winning musicals
Musicals based on plays
West End musicals
Plays set in the United States
Musicals choreographed by Bob Fosse
Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties
Musicals by Kander and Ebb
Sororicide in fiction
Mariticide in fiction
Tony Award-winning musicals