''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 ''Cab ...

, 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 ...

, and book by Ebb and

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and stage director. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in th ...

. Set in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

in the

Jazz Age The Jazz Age was a period from 1920 to the early 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles gained worldwide popularity. The Jazz Age's cultural repercussions were primarily felt in the United States, the birthplace of jazz. Originating in New O ...

, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same title by

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 Place, courthouse beat for the ''Chicago Tribune''. This exper ...

about actual criminals and 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 world premiere of the musical was a Broadway tryout from April 8, 1975, to May 3, 1975, at the

Forrest Theatre The Forrest Theatre is a live theatre venue at 1114 Walnut Street in the Center City area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has a seating capacity of 1,851 and is managed by The Shubert Organization.

in Philadelphia. 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 Stre ...

production opened on June 3, 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, New York, U.S. Opened in 1925, it was ...

and ran for 936 performances, until August 27, 1977. Fosse directed and choreographed the original production, and his style is strongly identified with the show. It debuted in the West End 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 may refer to: Novel * The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux Characters * Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...

''. ''Chicago'' surpassed ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

'' 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. The ongoing 1996 revival of ''Chicago'' is the longest-running show currently on Broadway. ''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 (also known as Oscars) 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 a ...

History

The musical ''Chicago'' is based on a play of the same name by reporter and playwright

, 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, a ...

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 the character of Velma in the 1926 play ''Chicago'' created by Maurine Dallas Watkins; W ...

for the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

''. 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

, 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 percent of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. ...

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 time ...

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 events in the life ...

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 at the Criminal Courts building 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 filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

produced a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized 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) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

version, ''

'' (1927), starring former

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

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 and Minnie Shanks Malone. When she was young, her family moved to L ...

as Roxie Hart. It was later remade as ''

'' (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 Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, 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 she served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach ...

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; historian Kevin Boyd Grubb has speculated that, by this point, Watkins may have regretted Annan and Gaertner's acquittals, and felt 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, representativ ...

sold the rights to producer Richard Fryer, Verdon, and Fosse.

and

began work on the musical score, modeling each number on a traditional

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

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 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 creates choreographies thr ...

Synopsis

Act I

is a

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatre, theatrical genre of variety show, variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comic ...

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

, 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. It is sometimes referred to as ''California'' or ''Hotel California'', as its address is on California Avenue. A city jail has e ...

, where several women accused of killing their lovers are held (" Cell Block Tango"); 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 corrupt solicitation, payment, or acceptance of a private favor (a bribe) in exchange for official action. The purpose of a bribe is to influence the actions of the recipient, a person in charge of an official duty, to act contrar ...

("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 does not 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 to b ...

and rearranges her story for consumption by sympathetic tabloid columnist Mary Sunshine ("A Little Bit of Good"), hoping to raise funds by auctioning off Roxie's belongings at inflated prices. 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 ("Mister 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. 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 * " Cell Block Tango" – Velma and the Murderesses * "When You're Good to Mama" – 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 * "Mister 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 and Company * "Funny Honey" – Roxie * " Cell Block Tango" – Velma and the Murderesses * "When You're Good to Mama" – Mama Morton * "Tap Dance" – Roxie, Amos, and Boys * "All I Care About" – Billy Flynn and Girls * "A Little Bit of Good" – Mary Sunshine * "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary and the Reporters * "Roxie" – Roxie and Boys * "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma * "I Can't Do It Alone (Reprise)" – Velma * "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 * "Mister Cellophane" – Amos * "When Velma Takes the Stand" – Velma and Boys * "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy and Company * "Class" – Velma and Mama Morton * "Nowadays" - Velma and Roxie * "Hot Honey Rag" – Orchestra * "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, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...

Lenora Nemetz Lenora Nemetz is an American stage and musical theatre actress. Career Nemetz left her native Pittsburgh as a teenager to work on Broadway. Her Broadway debut was in ''Cabaret''. A protégé of Bob Fosse, Nemetz first came to the attention of N ...

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*Velma Kelly:

*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' ...

*Mama Morton:

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, Veronica Dunne,

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, Petra Nielsen,

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*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, Lana Gordon,

Jasmine Guy Jasmine Chanel Guy (born March 10, 1962) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and director. She portrayed Dina in the 1988 film ''School Daze'' and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne on the NBC ''The Cosby Show'' spin-off '' A Different World'', which or ...

, Mýa Harrison,

, Carly Hughes,

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 ...

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. Her mother is Ilene Graff, an actress. Lanzarone's father is Ben Lanzarone, a composer. ...

Sharon Lawrence Sharon Elizabeth Lawrence (born June 29, 1961) is an American actress. From 1993 to 1999, she starred as Sylvia Costas in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC drama series, ''NYPD Blue''. The role garnered her three Primetime Emmy Award nomina ...

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 Vel ...

Vicki Lewis Vicki Lewis (born March 17, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom ''NewsRadio''. She is also well known for her roles as Deb and Flo in ''Finding Nemo'' and '' Finding Dory'', April Smu ...

, Luba Mason,

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 career ...

, 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. Background Rice was born in Toledo, Ohio to Flute and Pearl Esterine Shields Rice. She began training ...

, Amra-Faye Wright, 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 Govorn Battle Jr. (November 29, 1956 – January 30, 2024) was an American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. He won three Tony Awards, all in the category of Featured Actor in a Musical. He was the first to portray the Scarecrow ...

Erich Bergen Erich Bergen (born December 31, 1985) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Bob Gaudio in the biographical musical drama film ''Jersey Boys'' and as Blake Moran in the CBS television series '' Madam Secretary''. Biography B ...

Wayne Brady Wayne Alphonso Brady (born June 2, 1972) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is a regular cast member on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' He was the host of the daytim ...

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, 1953) is an American actor, known for his roles in TV series and on Broadway. He has also been a director. Early life and education Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 3, 1953, Willis, John (1994). The ...

Maxwell Caulfield Maxwell Caulfield (born Maxwell P.J. Newby; 23 November 1959) is a British actor. He has appeared in ''Grease 2'' (1982), ''Electric Dreams (film), Electric Dreams'' (1984), ''The Boys Next Door (1985 film), The Boys Next Door'' (1985), ''The S ...

, Chuck Cooper,

Billy Ray Cyrus William Ray Cyrus ( ; born August 25, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Having released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, he is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs cha ...

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 (né Berry; born January 2, 1971) is an American 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 ...

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 Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical '' The Color Purple'', Eubi ...

Colman Domingo Colman Jason Domingo (born November 28, 1969) is an American actor, playwright, and director. Prominent Colman Domingo on screen and stage, on both screen and stage since the 2010s, Domingo has received List of awards and nominations received by ...

John Dossett John Dossett (born April 15, 1958) is an American actor and singer. Early life and education Dossett attended Mount Pleasant High School (Wilmington, Delaware), Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1972 through 1976, where h ...

, Christopher Fitzgerald,

Alexander Gemignani Alexander Cesare Gemignani (born July 3, 1979) is an American actor, tenor, musician, and conductor, known for his work on Broadway. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in '' Carousel'' and a Drama Desk Award for his performa ...

Eddie George Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American college American football, football coach and former running back who is the head football coach at Bowling Green Falcons football, Bowling Green State University. He previously ...

, Cuba Gooding Jr.,

Louis Gossett Jr. Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He made his stage debut at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter, he successfully auditioned for the Broadway theatre, Broadway play ''Take a Giant Step.'' Gossett co ...

Michael C. Hall Michael Carlyle Hall (born February 1, 1971) is an American actor and musician. He is known for playing Dexter Morgan, the titular character in the Showtime (TV network), Showtime series ''Dexter (TV series), Dexter'' and David Fisher (Six Feet ...

Todrick Hall Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, rapper, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition ''American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a 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'', a role he reprised in 2007's Santa Monica Studio video ...

Gregory Harrison Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known primarily for his roles as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre (played by Pernell Roberts) on the CBS series '' Tr ...

, Tom Hewitt,

James Monroe Iglehart James Monroe Iglehart (born September 4, 1974)"Iglehar ...

Gregory Jbara Gregory Jbara (; born September 28, 1961) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his roles as Deputy Commissioner Garrett Moore in the CBS police procedural ''Blue Bloods'' (2010-2023), Dan O'Keefe in the Fox sitcom Grounded for Life ...

, James T. Lane,

Joey Lawrence Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III (born April 20, 1976) is an American actor, musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, podcaster, and game show host. He was a child actor in the early 1980s and portrayed Joey Russo in '' Blossom'' and Joe Longo ...

Huey Lewis Hugh Anthony Cregg III (born July 5, 1950), known professionally as Huey Lewis, is an American actor and former singer-songwriter. Lewis sang lead and played harmonica for his band, Huey Lewis and the News, until being forced into retirement due ...

Norm Lewis Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway and in London's West End, film, television, recordings and regional theatre. He is also noted for his wide vocal range. Lewis was the second ...

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, California, and grew up in Santa Maria, California, Santa Maria near the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, ...

Christopher McDonald Christopher McDonald (born February 15, 1955) is an American actor. McDonald is best known for playing the villainous professional golfer Shooter McGavin in the 1996 comedy '' Happy Gilmore'', a role he’d later reprise in 2025’s sequel '' H ...

Brian McKnight Brian Kainoa Makoa McKnight Sr. (born Brian Kelly McKnight; June 5, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, radio personality, and multi-instrumentalist. An Contemporary R&B, R&B performer, he is recognized for his strong ...

Paul Alexander Nolan Paul Alexander Nolan is a Canadian actor and singer, who has appeared in several musical theatre productions across Canada and the United States. In Canada, Nolan appeared in 9 Stratford Festival productions, including starring as Jesus in the ...

John O'Hurley John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor and game show host. He played Jacopo Peterman, J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', provided the voice for King Neptune on ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', and hosted the game s ...

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 Broadway and West End productions of Jonathan Larson's musical ''Rent'', the 2005 movie version of the musi ...

Marti Pellow Marti Pellow (born Mark McLachlan; 23 March 1965) is a Scottish singer. He was the lead singer of the 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 to his d ...

Clarke Peters Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American actor, writer, and director, who has spent much of his adult life in the United Kingdom. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television ...

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 y ...

, 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 2001 HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' and Rufus Humphrey on the CW teen drama series ''Gossip Girl''. Early life S ...

Chaz Lamar Shepherd Chaz Lamar Shepherd is an American actor and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his roles as Artis Tower in ''Me and the Boys (TV series), Me and the Boys'' (1994–1995), John Hamilton on ''7th Heaven (TV series), 7th Heaven'' (1996–2001 ...

Christopher Sieber Christopher Luverne Sieber (born February 18, 1969) is an American actor. Known primarily for his extensive roles on stage in musicals, he has received nominations for two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards ...

Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (February 13, 1944 – April 27, 2023) was a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, lawyer, and politician. He was best known for hosting the controversial tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' from 1991 to 2 ...

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, singer, songwriter, and dancer. Known for his romantic, tough, and comedic roles in blockbusters and cult films, Swayze was nominated for three Golden Glob ...

Paulo Szot Paulo Szot is a Brazilian operatic baritone singer and actor. He made his opera debut in 1997 and his international career has included performances with the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala di Milano, Opera de Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opera Aust ...

Alan Thicke Alan Willis Thicke (né Jeffrey; 1 March 1947 13 December 2016) was a Canadian-American actor, songwriter, and game/talk show host. He was the father of singer Robin Thicke. Thicke was best known for playing Dr. Jason Seaver on the 1980s sitco ...

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 car ...

, Usher,

Ben Vereen Benjamin Augustus Vereen (né Middleton; October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. He gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received ...

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 N ...

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, ...

Sebastián Yatra Sebastián Obando Giraldo (born 15 October 1994), known professionally as Sebastián Yatra, is a Colombian singer, songwriter and stage actor. He began as a Latin pop artist and has recorded many ballads, but has released several successful regg ...

Tony Yazbeck Tony Yazbeck (born March 14, 1979) is an American actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his work on the Broadway stage, including the revival of ''On the Town (musical), On the Town'', for which he received 2015 Tony Awards, Tony Award and Ou ...

Billy Zane William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the Australian film ''Dead Calm (film), Dead Calm'' (1989), a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association, ...

Adrian Zmed Adrian George Zmed (born March 14, 1954) is an American actor, singer and television personality, noted for the roles of Johnny Nogerelli in ''Grease 2'' and Officer Vince Romano in the ''T. J. Hooker'' television series. His Broadway credits in ...

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'', ''Cabaret'', ''Rent'' and '' Amor sin barreras (West Side Story)''. Zu ...

*Amos Hart:

Rob Bartlett Robert James Bartlett (born May 18, 1957) is an American comedian, actor, impressionist, and writer, who gained widespread fame on the radio show ''Imus in the Morning''. ''Imus in the Morning'' Bartlett appeared on the 'Imus in the Morning' s ...

Kevin Carolan Kevin Carolan (born May 22, 1968) is an American actor and comedian. During his career, he has had roles on television, stage, and film. Career Carolan graduated from Montclair State University in 1990 with a major in theater and film studies. H ...

Kevin Chamberlin Seth Kevin Chamberlin (born November 25, 1963) is an American actor and singer who performs under his middle name. He is known for his theatre roles such as Horton in '' Seussical'' and Uncle Fester in ''The Addams Family''. For his theatre work ...

, Cory English, Christopher Fitzgerald, James T. Lane,

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 i ...

Isaac Mizrahi Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American fashion designer, actor, singer, 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. M ...

Vincent Pastore Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an Italian 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''. He also made notable appearances in the HBO ...

Ernie Sabella Ernest Sabella (born September 19, 1949) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Pumbaa from '' The Lion King'' franchise, voicing the character in all media except the 2019 and 2024 films. Sabella's TV roles include Mr. Donald ...

, Chris Sullivan,

Paul C. Vogt Paul Calvin Vogt (born December 16, 1964) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on the sketch comedy programs ''Mad TV'', '' The Big Gay Sketch Show'', and '' The Rerun Show''. Life and career Paul C. Vogt w ...

*Mama Morton:

Kandi Burruss Kandi Burruss (born May 17, 1976), known professionally by her mononym Kandi, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She first gained notice in 1992 as a member of the multi-platinum R&B female vocal group Xscape ...

, B.J. Crosby,

Lea DeLaria Lea DeLaria (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. She portrayed List of Orange Is the New Black characters#Carrie "Big Boo" Black, Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' ...

, Larisa Dolina,

Debbie Gravitte Debbie Gravitte is an American actress and singer. 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 Night'' in 1982; '' Zorba'' in 1983; ''Les Misérab ...

Jennifer Holliday Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American singer and actress. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as ''Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), '' Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1980–1981) and later became a ...

Cady Huffman Cady Huffman (born February 2, 1965) 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 a ...

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...

NeNe Leakes Linnethia Monique "NeNe" Leakes (; née Johnson; born December 13, 1967) is an American television personality, actress, presenter, businesswoman, author, and fashion designer. She first rose to prominence after becoming the breakout star on B ...

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 is the recipient of a Tony Award (1993), two Drama Desk Awards (1988, 2007), the Helen Hayes Award (19 ...

Jinkx Monsoon Hera Lilith Hoffer (born September 18, 1987), best known by the stage name Jinkx Monsoon, is an American drag queen, actress, singer and comedienne, originally from the Pacific Northwest, and perhaps best-known for winning the RuPaul's Drag Race ...

, Anne L. Nathan,

Michele Pawk Michele Pawk (born November 16, 1961) is an American actress and singer. She is also an associate theater professor. Biography Born in Butler, Pennsylvania, Pawk attended Allegheny College and the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, whe ...

Christine Pedi Christine Pedi (born 24 October 1961), 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 Yo ...

Roz Ryan Roz Ryan (born Rosalyn Bowen) 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 Fats Waller-influ ...

, Camille Saviola,

Valerie Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production and recording duo composed of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carol ...

Angie Stone Angela Laverne Stone (née Brown; December 18, 1961 – March 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, and record producer. With a career spanning over four decades, she has been credited with revolutionizing the sound of Ol ...

Mary Testa Mary Testa 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 life Testa was born in P ...

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 After graduating from high school, Turturro earned a Bachelo ...

Sofía Vergara Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara (; born July 10, 1972) is a Colombian and American actress and television personality who received five nominations each at the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards. She is one of the highest-paid a ...

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. 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 the Clu ...

Wendy Williams Wendy Williams Hunter (; born July 18, 1964) is an American former broadcaster, media personality, and writer. Prior to television, Williams was a radio DJ and host and quickly became known in New York City as a shock jock. She gained notori ...

Chandra Wilson Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Su ...

Carol Woods Carol Woods (born November 13, 1943) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in ''Sweet and Lowdown'' (1999), ''The Honeymooners'' (2005) and ''Across the Universe'' (2007). In February 2008, she received a standing ...

*Mary Sunshine: Daniel Levine,

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 known for her role as Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which she has portrayed since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appeared in ...

Anita Louise Combe Anita Louise Combe is an Australian actress, singer, dancer who has worked extensively in the entertainment industry all around the world. Combe attended the Gwen Mackay School of Dancing and trained in the Cechetti method of ballet with Jenni ...

Jennifer Ellison Jennifer Lesley Ellison 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, and as Meg Giry in ...

America Ferrera America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress, director and television producer. She has received List of awards and nominations received by America Ferrera, numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golde ...

Maria Friedman Maria Friedman ( Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a British actress and director, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is an eight-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her first win was for her 1994 one-woman show, ' ...

Josefina Gabrielle Josefina Gabrielle Holmes, professionally known as Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963), is a British actress and ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays. Theatrical career Gabrielle was born in London ...

Jill Halfpenny Jill Halfpenny (born 15 July 1975) is an English actress who first garnered attention playing Nicola Dobson in the coming-of-age BBC drama series '' Byker Grove'' (1989–1992). She became more widely known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins on ...

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 ...

Aoife Mulholland Aoife Mulholland ( , ; born 29 May 1982) 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,

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)", ...

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' ...

Claire Sweeney Claire Jane Sweeney (born 17 April 1971) is an English actress, singer, and television personality. Known for her portrayal of Lindsey Corkhill on Channel 4's '' Brookside'' (1991–2003), she also played Roxie Hart in ''Chicago'' ( West End, ...

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,

*Velma Kelly:

Anna-Jane Casey Anna-Jane Casey (born 15 February 1972) is an English singer, dancer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre. Personal life Casey was born in Salford, Lancashire, England. Casey married fellow actor Graham MacDuff in 1998. The ...

, 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'' (Royal ...

, Rachel McDowall,

, Valerie Pettiford, Leigh Zimmerman *Billy Flynn:

Luca Barbareschi Luca Giorgio Barbareschi (born July 28, 1956) is an Uruguayan-born Italian actor, filmmaker, businessman, and politician. He represented Sardinia in the Chamber of Deputies between 2008 and 2014. Early life Barbareschi was born in Montevide ...

John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman MBE (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2010; 2020–2021) and its spin-off ''Torc ...

, David 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 ...

Robin Cousins Robin John 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– ...

Juan Pablo Di Pace Juan Pablo Di Pace (born 25 July 1979) is an Argentine actor. 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 moved to Spain ...

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. Diedrich was a child actor, debuting as the Artful Dodger ...

Sacha Distel Alexandre "Sacha" Distel (29 January 1933 – 22 July 2004) was a French musician and singer 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", and " The Good Lif ...

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, 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 music, new wave band Spandau Ballet and launched a solo career following the group's split in 1990. Hadley retur ...

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 soap ...

Raza Jaffrey Raza Jaffrey (born May 28 1975) is a British actor who is known for his roles as Zafar Younis in the BBC One spy drama series '' Spooks'' (2004–2007) and Neal Hudson in the CBS medical drama '' Code Black'' (2015). He also had a recurring role ...

Duncan James Duncan Matthew James Inglis (born 7 April 1978) is an English singer, actor and television presenter. 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''. E ...

Ian Kelsey Ian Kelsey (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Dave Glover in the ITV (TV channel), ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', Patrick Spiller in the BBC One, BBC medical drama ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'', DI Rich ...

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 o ...

Jimmy Osmond James Arthur Osmond (born April 16, 1963) is an American singer and businessman. He is the youngest member of the sibling musical group the Osmonds. As a solo artist, Osmond has accumulated six RIAA certification, gold records, one RIAA certific ...

, Kevin Richardson,

Rolf Saxon Rolf Saxon (born July 7, 1955) is an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known for his role as William Donloe in '' Mission: Impossible'' and '' Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'', as well as for his voice-over work in n ...

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 Adelai ...

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 Pa ...

Gary Wilmot Harold Owen "Gary" Wilmot, MBE (born 8 May 1954) is a British actor 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'', ''So You Want To Be Top'' and ''Showstoppers''. ...

*Amos Hart:

Justin Lee Collins Justin Lee Collins (born 1974) is a former actor and radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.Peter Davison Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of Jame ...

Les Dennis Leslie Dennis Heseltine (born 12 October 1953) is an English television presenter, actor and comedian. He presented '' Family Fortunes'' from 1987 to 2002. Early life Dennis was born as Leslie Dennis Heseltine on 12 October 1953 in the Liv ...

, 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 (musical), Cabaret'' on Broadway theatre, ...

Gareth Hale Gareth Irvin Hale (born 15 January 1953) is an Anglo-Welsh 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 partner are both form ...

, Kevin Kennedy,

George Layton George Layton (born George Michael William Löwy; 2 March 1942) is a British 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 sequ ...

Victor McGuire Victor McGuire (born 17 March 1964) is an English actor best known for playing Jack Boswell in series 1–3 and 5–7 of Carla Lane's ''Bread'', Ron Wheatcroft in every series of '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' and its 2016 one-off episode, and Sean ...

Dale Meeks Dale Meeks (6 May 1975 – 22 April 2023) was an English television and theatre actor. Acting career Meeks was best known for his role as Simon Meredith in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' and as the winner of ITV's '' Celebrity Stars in The ...

Norman Pace Norman John Pace (born 17 February 1953) is an English actor and comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Hale and Pace with his friend and comic partner Gareth Hale. Both former teachers, they fronted several television program ...

Clive Rowe Clive Mark Rowe (born 27 March 1964) is a British actor. He began his career in theatre, winning a Laurence Olivier Award. On television, he is known for his roles as in the CBBC series '' The Story of Tracy Beaker'' (2002–2005) and '' So A ...

*Mama Morton:

Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant contestant, best known for her portrayal of Wonder Woman in the television series ''Wonder Woman'', aired on ABC and later on CBS from 1975 to 1979. Befo ...

, Sharon D. Clarke,

Anita Dobson Anita, Lady May (born 29 April 1949), known as Anita Dobson, is an English actress and singer. She is best known for playing Landlord, landlady Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from the show's inception in 1985 until 1988. She ac ...

, Brenda Edwards,

Diane Langton Diane Shirley Maria Langton (31 May 1944 – 15 January 2025) was a British actress, singer and dancer whose career on stage and screen spanned six decades. After beginning her career in theatre, she went on to appear in television shows, portr ...

Alison Moyet Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard (; ; born 18 June 1961), formerly known as Alf, is an English singer. Noted for her powerful bluesy contralto voice, she came to prominence as a member of the synth-pop duo Yazoo (band), Yazoo (known as Yaz in Nor ...

Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born on October 27 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress, and fashion designer. She is a daughter of Ozzy Osbourne, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and came to prominence while appearing on the reali ...

Gaby Roslin Gaby Roslin (born 12 July 1964) is an English television and radio presenter who rose to fame co-presenting ''The Big Breakfast'' on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996. Roslin also presented the ''Children in Need'' charity telethons on the BBC be ...

*Mary Sunshine: Cory English, Nathan Kiley

Musical and staging style

According to

, he wrote the book in a

style because "the characters were performers. Every musical moment in the show was loosely modeled on someone else: Roxie was Helen Morgan, Velma was

Texas Guinan Mary Louise Cecilia "Texas" Guinan (January 12, 1884 – November 5, 1933) was an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. Born in Texas to Irish immigrant parents, Guinan decided at an early age to become an entertainer. After becoming a s ...

, Billy Flynn was Ted Lewis, Mama Morton was

Sophie Tucker Sophie Tucker (born Sofia Kalish; January 13, 1886 – February 9, 1966) was a Russian-born American singer, comedian, actress, and radio personality. Known for her powerful delivery of comical and risqué songs, she was one of the most popula ...

." Composer

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 Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era. Some of h ...

and

Bert Williams Bert Williams (November 12, 1874 – March 4, 1922) was a Bahamian-born American entertainer, one of the pre-eminent entertainers of the vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. While some sources have ...

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 bbsaid 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 Henry Glassman, was played by

David Rounds David Rounds (October 9, 1930, Bronxville, New York – December 9, 1983, Lomontville, Ulster County, New York) was an American actor of stage and screen. He received both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award in 1980 for his role in '' Morning ...

, whose role was to exploit the notoriety of the prisoners for his own gain. He also served as the evening's 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

, and ran for a total of 936 performances, closing on August 27, 1977. The opening night cast starred

as Velma Kelly,

as Roxie Hart,

Jerry Orbach Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor and singer, described at the time of his death as "one of the last'' bona fide'' leading men of the Broadway theatre, Broadway musical and global celebrity on te ...

as Billy Flynn, and

Barney Martin Barney Martin (March 3, 1923 – March 21, 2005) was an American actor, best known for playing Morty Seinfeld, father of Jerry, on the sitcom ''Seinfeld'' (1991–1998). He also played supporting roles in Mel Brooks's '' The Producers'' (1967 ...

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 Rivera's role opposite Verdon's Roxie Hart. The musical received mixed reviews. The

Brechtian Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

style of the show, which frequently dropped the

fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance dramatic convention, convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. ...

, 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's highly successful ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical conceived by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is cent ...

'', which beat out ''Chicago'' in both ticket sales and at the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

s. The show was on the verge of closing when it ran into another setback: 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

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 Verdon recuperated and returned to the show.

, who would go on to star in the highly successful 1996 revival and

choreograph Choreography is the art 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 creates choreographies thro ...

that production in the style of Fosse, was also a cast replacement for Roxie Hart during the show's original run.

1979 West End

The first West End, London production opened at the

Cambridge Theatre The Cambridge Theatre is a West End theatre, on a corner site in Earlham Street facing Seven Dials, London, Seven Dials, in the London Borough of Camden, built in 1929–30 for Bertie Meyer on an "irregular triangular site". Design and const ...

in April 1979 and ran for around 600 performances (having had its European premiere at the

Crucible Theatre The Crucible Theatre, or simply The Crucible, is a theatre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which opened in 1971. Its name refers to crucible steel, which was developed in Sheffield in 1740 and drove the industrialisation of the city. ...

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

, 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 Laurence Maurice Parnes (3 September 1929 – 4 August 1989) was a British pop manager and impresario. He was the first major British rock manager, and his stable of singers included many of the most successful British rock and roll singers of t ...

. Jenny Logan starred as Velma Kelly, with

Ben Cross Harry Bernard Cross (16 December 1947 – 18 August 2020) was an English actor. He was best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 film ''Chariots of Fire'' and for playing Billy Flynn in the or ...

as Billy, Antonia Ellis as Roxie Hart and

Don Fellows Don Fellows (December 2, 1922 – October 21, 2007) was an American actor known for his roles in British theater and television. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Fellows served in the United States Merchant Marine ...

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 The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

for their performances, and the musical was nominated as Musical of the Year.

Elizabeth Seal Elizabeth Anne Seal (born 28 August 1933) is a British actress. In 1961, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the title role of '' Irma La Douce''. Career Elizabeth Seal made her professional de ...

later replaced Ellis as Roxie Hart.

1977 Argentina

The original Argentine production opened at the Teatro El Nacional featuring

Nélida Lobato Nélida Lobato, born Haydée Nélida Menta (; 19 June 1934 – 9 May 1982), was an Argentine dancer, vedette, model, and actress. Career She began her career at 18 years old in a programme of LR3 Radio Belgrano Televisión showing her talent ...

(Roxie), Ambar La Fox (Velma),

Marty Cosens Rubén Mario Cosentino (1 September 1935 – 20 August 2001), best known as Marty Cosens, was an Argentine singer, actor, television presenter and record producer. Life and career Born in Buenos Aires, Cosens started his career on stage, and t ...

(Billy),

Jovita Luna María Eugenia Luna (11 June 1924 – 12 January 2006), also known as Jovita Luna, was an Argentine singer and actress. Biography She was born in Buenos Aires, and started her career in the popular group Marilyn in 1932, beside Nelly Prince ...

(Mama Morton) and

Juan Carlos Thorry Juan Carlos Thorry (June 28, 1908, in Coronel Pringles – February 12, 2000 in San Antonio de Padua), born José Antonio Torrontegui, was an Argentine film actor, tango musician and director, notable for his work during the Golden Age of Argen ...

(Amos) as a replica of the original Broadway production. The book was adapted by

Enrique Pinti Enrique Pinti (7 October 1939 – 27 March 2022) was an Argentine actor and comedian. Life As a humorist, he performed stand-up shows with long monologues on Argentine politics and history, speaking at an extremely fast pace and resorting to a ...

and the production was directed by Wilfredo Ferran and Mike Ribas. Gene Foote choreographed the production based on the original choreography by

. It was produced by Alejandro Romay.

1981 Australia

The original Australian production opened at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

's Drama Theatre in June 1981. Featuring

Nancye Hayes Nancye Lee Bertles AM ( Hayes; born January 1943), billed under her maiden name as Nancye Hayes, is an Australian actress, dancer, singer and choreographer/director and narrator. She has been a leading figure in Australian musical theatre sin ...

(Roxie), Geraldine Turner (Velma), Terence Donovan (Billy), Judi Connelli (Mama) and

George Spartels George Bernard Spartels (born 25 April 1954) is an Australian actor, presenter, director, playwright and children's musician of Greek descent on his father's ancestry, and English and Irish on his mother's. He remains best known for his role ...

(Amos), it was a new production directed by

Richard Wherrett Richard Bruce Wherrett AM (10 December 19407 December 2001) was an Australian stage director, whose career spanned 40 years. He is known for being the founding director of the Sydney Theatre Company in 1979. Early life Richard Wherrett was bor ...

for the

Sydney Theatre Company Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is an Australian theatre company based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company performs in the Wharf Theatre at Dawes Point in The Rocks area of Sydney as well as the Roslyn Packer Theatre (formerly Sydney Theatre ...

, rather than a replica of the Broadway production. It transferred to the Theatre Royal in Sydney, before touring to Melbourne's

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

, Adelaide's 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 The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), launched in 1973, is an international arts festival held in Hong Kong. It covers all genres of the performing arts as well as a diverse range of educational events in February and March each year. Histor ...

in February 1983.

1992 Los Angeles

The Long Beach Civic Light Opera presented Chicago in 1992, directed by

Rob Marshall Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...

with choreography by

Juliet Prowse Juliet Anne Prowse (25 September 1936 – 14 September 1996) was a British-American dancer and actress whose four-decade career included stage, television and film. She was born in Bombay (today's Mumbai) then of British India, raised in South ...

played Roxie opposite

as Velma.

Gary Sandy Gary Lee Sandy (born December 25, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for playing program director Andy Travis on the television sitcom ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978–1982). Early life and education Sandy was born in Dayton, Ohio, the ...

played Billy Flynn with

Kaye Ballard Kaye Ballard (November 20, 1925 – January 21, 2019) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. Early life Ballard was born Catherine Gloria Balotta in Cleveland, Ohio, one of four children born to Italian immigrant parents, Lena (née Nac ...

as Mama Morton.

1996 Broadway revival

City Center A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms that exist in ...

Encores! Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...

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 Walter Bobbie (born November 18, 1945) is an American theatre director and actor. Bobbie has directed both musicals and plays on Broadway and Off-Broadway, and was the Artistic Director of the New York City Center Encores! concert series. He di ...

with choreography "in the style of

" by

, who also reprised her previous role as Roxie Hart. Also in the cast were

as Velma Kelly,

as Amos Hart and

James Naughton James Naughton (born December 6, 1945) is an American actor and director. On television he is best known as astronaut Pete Burke in the 1974 single-season television series ''Planet of the Apes''. He won Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical ...

as Billy Flynn. The show was well-received, with Howard Kissel, reviewing for the ''

New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...

'' writing that "This ''Chicago'' impressed me far more than the original.".

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher, and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 t ...

, in his review for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 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 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, New York, U.S. Opened in 1925, it was ...

(the same theater where the original production had played) with a script adapted by 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 ''The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson'' was a Criminal procedure, criminal trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, in which former National Football League, NFL player and actor O. J. Simpson was tried and acquitt ...

, and audiences were more receptive to the criminal-as-celebrity theme of the show. The revival of ''Chicago'' won six

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...

, more than any other revival in

history until ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

'' won seven Tonys in 2008. ''Chicago'' won for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Bebe Neuwirth, Best Leading Actor in a Musical for James Naughton, Best Lighting Design of a Musical for

Ken Billington Ken Billington (born October 29, 1946) is an American lighting designer. He began his career in New York City working as an assistant to Tharon Musser. He was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Kenneth Arthur (an automobile dealer) and ...

, Best Director of a Musical for Walter Bobbie and Best Choreography for Ann Reinking." 'Chicago' 1996 REvival"
playbillvault.com, accessed April 19, 2015 ''Chicago: The Musical'' has run for more than 11,000 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 The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for Best Musical Show Album. Among the many other performers and celebrities who have appeared in the show are

, Amra-Faye Wright, Amy Spanger,

, Chris Sullivan,

, Christopher Fitzgerald,

, Cuba Gooding Jr.,

James Monroe Iglehart James Monroe Iglehart (born September 4, 1974)"Iglehar ...

, Kevin Richardson, Leigh Zimmerman,

Mýa Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), known professionally as Mýa, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and actress. She was born in Washington D.C. and studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Her ca ...

, Usher, Veronica Dunne, and

. On February 12, 1997, the Broadway production moved into the larger Shubert Theatre. On January 29, 2003, more than six years into its run, the Broadway production moved a second time, to the 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. Like the New York revival, it was directed by Walter Bobbie and designed by

John Lee Beatty John Lee Beatty is an American scenic designer who has created set designs for more than 115 Broadway shows and has designed for other productions. He won two Tony Awards, for '' Talley's Folly'' (1980) and '' The Nance'' (2013), was nominated fo ...

, 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 The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

for nine years until transferring to the

in April 2006. The original cast of the production included German jazz singer

as Velma, British actress

as Roxie Hart,

Nigel Planer Nigel George Planer (born 22 February 1953) is a British actor, writer and musician. His television credits include playing Neil in the sitcom '' The Young Ones'' and Ralph Filthy in the sitcom '' Filthy Rich & Catflap'', as well as narrating th ...

as Amos Hart, and

Henry Goodman Henry Goodman (born 23 April 1950) is a RADA trained British actor. He has appeared on television and radio, in film and in the theatre. Early life He attended the Central Foundation Boys' School and joined the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Lo ...

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

, Denise van Outen,

, James Doherty,

Justin Lee Collins Justin Lee Collins (born 1974) is a former actor and radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne (born on October 27 1984) is an English television personality, singer, actress, and fashion designer. She is a daughter of Ozzy Osbourne, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and came to prominence while appearing on the reali ...

, Kevin Richardson, Leigh Zimmerman,

, Michael Greco,

Peter Davison Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of Jame ...

, and

. The production moved out of the Cambridge Theatre on August 27, 2011 and transferred to the

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

on November 7, 2011, starring America Ferrera as Roxie.

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 opening April 11, 2018, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Billy Flynn, Sarah Soetaert as Roxie Hart, Josefina Gabrielle as Velma Kelly, and Ruthie Henshall as Mama Morton. A cast change saw

Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...

take over the role of Billy Flynn, with

Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and releas ...

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 Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, six months after the revival opened on Broadway. The cast featured

(Roxie Hart),

(Velma Kelly),

(Billy Flynn) and

(Matron "Mama" Morton). A second company started in December 1997 in

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

, Florida. The tour went on hiatus in Fall 1999 and started again in October 1999 in

Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, featuring

as Billy Flynn,

(Velma) and

(Roxie). The next tour started in October 2000 in

Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, outside of New York City. It is the sixth-most populous city in New England. Stamford is also the largest city in the Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Weste ...

, with Robert Urich. Chita Rivera joined the tour for several weeks. The 2003 tour started in June 2003 at the National Theatre,

Washington, DC Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

, with Brenda Braxton playing Velma,

Bianca Marroquin Bianca is a feminine given name. It means "white" and is an Italian cognate of Blanche. It is known in the Anglosphere as a character in William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew''. It came to greater notice in the 1970s, due to public fi ...

as Roxie, and

as Billy Flynn. During 2004 the tour cast included

and

as Billy Flynn and Carol Woods as Matron "Mama" Morton. The most recent tour started in November 2008 in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...

and starred Tom Wopat as Billy Flynn, Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart, Terra C. MacLeod as Velma Kelly and

(later replaced by Carol Woods) as Matron "Mama" Morton. On January 16, 2012 Peruvian actor

joined the cast as Billy Flynn.

2013 Hollywood Bowl

For its annual fully staged musical event, the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

produced a limited run of ''Chicago'' from July 26-28, 2013, directed by

. The cast included

Samantha Barks Samantha Jane Barks (born 2 October 1990) is a British actress and singer who rose to fame after placing third in the BBC talent show-themed television series '' I'd Do Anything'' in 2008. She has released three studio albums: ''Looking in Y ...

as Velma Kelly,

as Roxie Hart,

Stephen Moyer Stephen John Moyer (né Emery; born 11 October 1969) is an English actor and film director. He is best known for portraying the vampire Bill Compton in the HBO television series '' True Blood''. This was followed by the television film ''Lord ...

as Billy Flynn,

Drew Carey Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor and game show host. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey gained stardom in his own Situa ...

as Amos Hart, and

Lucy Lawless Lucille Frances Lawless (; born 29 March 1968) is a New Zealand actress and director. She is best known for her roles as Xena in the television series ''Xena: Warrior Princess'', as Number Three (Battlestar Galactica), D'Anna Biers on the re-im ...

as Mama Morton.Hetrick, Adams and Gans, Andrew
"Hollywood Bowl Chicago, With Ashlee Simpson, Samantha Barks, Stephen Moyer, Gives L.A. the Old Razzle Dazzle July 26"
playbill, July 26, 2013

2019 Australia

On 14 June 2018, the Gordon Frost Organisation announced a revival tour of ''Chicago'' commencing early 2019 at the Capitol Theatre in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. The show starred

Natalie Bassingthwaighte Natalie Bassingthwaighte (; born 1 September 1975) is an Australian singer, actress and television personality. Born and raised in Wollongong, New South Wales, she began her career in musical theatre. She later pursued an acting career in 1998 ...

as Roxie and Casey Donovan as Mama Morton. The Melbourne leg of the tour starred

Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 millio ...

as Billy Flynn. Donovan's father

Terence Publius Terentius Afer (; – ), better known in English as Terence (), was a playwright during the Roman Republic. He was the author of six Roman comedy, comedies based on Greek comedy, Greek originals by Menander or Apollodorus of Carystus. A ...

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 The King's Theatre is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built for Howard & Wyndham Ltd under its chairman Baillie Michael Simons as a sister theatre of their Theatre Royal in the city and was designed by Frank Matcham, opening in 1904. The ...

2023 Australia

Australian theatrical producers John Frost (For Crossroads Live Australia) and Suzanne Jones (For Jones Theatrical Company) have confirmed they are uniting once more to bring ''Chicago'' back to Australia. This 2023/2024 production of ''Chicago'' will have its premiere at Perth’s Crown Theatre from November 2023, with a Brisbane season at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Lyric Theatre to closely follow in January 2024. Two months later in March 2024, Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne will host the production, And opens in August at the Festival Theatre Adelaide. Australia musical theatre star

Anthony Warlow Anthony Warlow (born 18 November 1961) is an Australian musical theatre performer, noted for his character acting and considerable vocal range. He is a classically trained lyric baritone and made his debut with the Australian Opera in 1980. ...

portrayed the role of Billy Flynn opposite

Lucy Maunder Lucy Maunder is an Australian cabaret and theatre performer. She originated the role of Lara in the Australian premiere of ''Doctor Zhivago (musical), Doctor Zhivago'' in 2011 opposite Anthony Warlow, and toured with her own cabaret ''Songs in t ...

as Roxie Hart.

International productions

''Chicago'' has been produced several times in Denmark. The earliest productions were at

Aarhus Teater The Aarhus Theatre (Danish: ''Aarhus Teater'') in Aarhus, is the largest provincial theatre in Denmark. The present theatre house was constructed in the late 19th century, as a replacement for the old theatre, nicknamed "''Svedekassen''" (The Sw ...

and Alléscenen, both in 1976, with the latter notably starring

Susse Wold Susse Wold (born 17 November 1938) is a Danish actress whose career has spanned five decades. Born Lise Wold in Denmark, she is the daughter of actress Marguerite Viby. She quickly became a leading lady at Det Kongelige Teater (The Royal Danis ...

as Roxie Hart, Lisbet Dahl as Velma Kelly, and

Bent Mejding Bent Mejding (14 January 1937 – 12 November 2024) was a Danish actor, stage director, and theatre manager. He won a Danish Film Academy Award in 1985 and 2007. He was married to actress Susse Wold. Life and career Mejding had his debut at ...

as Billy Flynn. ''Chicago'' has subsequently been produced at Det Danske Teater in 1977, Mercurteatret in 1988,

Odense Teater Odense Teater is a theater in the city of Odense in Denmark. It dates back to 1796, which makes it Denmark's second-oldest theater. It is one of the country's three main theaters. The venue is located in Jernbanegade, where it has three stages: ...

in 1989, and Nørrebros Teater in 1992. Recently, ''Chicago'' has been produced twice at

Det Ny Teater Det Ny Teater (English: The New Theatre) is an established theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, first opened in 1908. It is based in a building which spans a passage between Vesterbrogade and Gammel Kongevej in Copenhagen's theatre district on the borde ...

. The first production opened September 2007 and starred

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen Birgitte Hjort Sørensen (born 16 January 1982) is a Danish actress. She has been nominated for three Robert Awards and one Bodil Award. Born in Hillerød and raised in Birkerød, Sørensen aspired to an acting career after watching the West ...

as Roxie Hart, Julie Steincke as Velma Kelly, and Peter Jorde as Billy Flynn. The second production opened January 2017 and starred

Maria Lucia Rosenberg Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg (born 9 February 1984) is a Danish voice actress, singer, and musical-performer. She became famous when she won a record contract with the label EMI in the TV 2-program ''Popstars'' in 2003. Her debut single "Taking ...

as Roxie Hart and Tomas Ambt Kofod as Billy Flynn, with Steincke reprising her role of Velma Kelly. A new production of ''Chicago'' at Aarhus Teater opened May 2024. 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

as Roxie Hart, Yōka Wao as Velma Kelly and

Ryuichi Kawamura is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea since 1989. They are regarded as one of the most influential bands in the visual kei scene. After they disbanded in ...

as Billy Flynn. In

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

, the musical opened on June 16, 2012 starring Tati Alcántara, Denisse Dibós, and

at Teatro Municipal de Lima in

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

. 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 Théâtre Mogador (), founded in 1913 with design by Bertie Crewe, is a Parisian music hall theatre located at 25, Rue de Mogador in the 9th arrondissement. It seats 1,600 people on three tiers (orchestra: 787 seats, boxes: 432 seats, balconies ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

with

Sofia Essaïdi Sofia Essaïdi (; born 6 August 1984) is a French-Moroccan singer and actress. She was born in Casablanca, to a Moroccan father, Lhabib Essaïdi, and a French mother, Martine Adeline Gardelle. Career From 30 August to 13 December 2003, she p ...

, Carien Keizer as

and Jean-Luc Guizone as Billy Flynn. Directed by Dominique Trottein with a book translated by Nicolas Engel, this production is choreographed by

and the music was supervised by Rob Bowman. This production closed on June 30, 2019. In March 2019, the U.S. national touring cast completed a nine-day, 16-performance ''Chicago'' residency at

Heichal HaTarbut Heichal HaTarbut (, ), officially known as the Charles Bronfman Auditorium and until 2013 as the Fredric R. Mann Auditorium, is the largest concert hall in Tel Aviv, Israel, and home to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. History Heichal HaTa ...

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

, with Israeli singer and actress

reprising the role of Roxie Hart that she previously held on Broadway. The

Stratford Festival The Stratford Festival is a repertory theatre organization that operates from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shak ...

Ontario, Canada Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, 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 Donna Feore (née Starnes, born June 20, 1963) is a Canadian choreographer and theatre director, most noted for her work with the National Arts Centre and the Stratford Festival. Early life Donna Starnes was born in Dawson Creek, British Colum ...

. 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. In addition, a production of ''Chicago'' was staged in

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

in 2000, and again in 2003 and 2007. ''Chicago'' has been staged in Seoul several additional times since then; in 2018, the musical had its thousandth Korean performance.

Recordings

There have been several

cast recording A cast recording is a recording of a stage Musical theatre, musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the ...

s 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

) *1999 Dutch Cast – Live Cast Album, 2 discs (with

) * 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

Official websiteSpanish production official website
*
Plot summary, character descriptions & licensing info for ChicagoChicago at ovrtur.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago (Musical) 1975 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals set in Chicago Drama Desk Award–winning musicals Laurence Olivier Award–winning musicals Musicals based on plays West End musicals Musicals choreographed by Bob Fosse Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties Musicals set in courtrooms Musicals set in prison Musicals by Kander and Ebb Fiction about sororicide Fiction about mariticide Fiction about murder Tony Award–winning musicals