Chicago: Michelle Williams extends, Matthew Settle delays

The Tony Award-winning musical Chicago has announced that Grammy Award winner Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child) will extend her limited engagement as 'Roxie Hart' at the Ambassador Theatre.

Originally slated to play her final performance on 28 Mar 2010, Williams will now play an additional 18 performances through to 13 Apr 2010, prior to joining the Los Angeles engagement of the Chicago national tour.

Producer Barry Weissler said, "Michelle has proven to be a tremendous asset to CHICAGO, first in London last year and now on Broadway. In addition to being a fantastic performer, she's as delightful and genuine offstage as she is onstage. We're thrilled that she's not only able to extend her Broadway run, but to join our national tour for its third return engagement in Los Angeles."

CW Network's "Gossip Girl" star Matthew Settle will now make his Broadway debut as slick criminal lawyer 'Billy Flynn' for an eight-week engagement from 19 Apr - 13 Jun 2010. He was originally scheduled to star in the show from 29 Mar - 13 Jun 2010. In other Broadway casting news, Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt returns as 'Billy Flynn' for a three-week engagement beginning 29 Mar 2010, Amra-Faye Wright returns as 'Velma Kelly' beginning 5 Apr 2010 and Terri White (Finian's Rainbow) makes her Chicago debut as 'Matron "Mama" Morton' beginning 26 Apr 2010.Chicago currently stars Terra C. MacLeod (Velma Kelly), Michelle Williams (Roxie Hart), Brent Barrett (Billy Flynn), Roz Ryan (Mama Morton), Ray Bokhour (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).

Now celebrating thirteen years on the Great White Way, Chicago is the second longest-running production currently playing on Broadway, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival.

The show has been playing on Broadway since 14 Nov 1996, it moved to the Ambassador Theatre on the 29 Jan 2003, where it is currently booking period through to 5 Sep 2010.

Chicago follows not your usual housewife, Roxie Hart, who gains dubious notoriety when she kills her boyfriend, invents her defence and manipulates everyone from her trustworthy husband to the fickle media and the unsuspecting public. The show features the well known songs, 'All That Jazz,' 'Razzle Dazzle' and 'Mr. Cellophane'.

Chicago has music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Book by Bob Fosse & Fred Ebb.

The musical is directed by Walter Bobbie, with choreography by Ann Reinking, scene design by John Lee Beatty, costumes by William Ivey Long, lighting by Ken Billington and sound by Scott Lehrer.

Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. It is the eighth longest-running production in Broadway history, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival.