Carly Hughes is Broadway's next Velma Kelly
It has been reported that Carly Hughes will be Broadway's next Velma Kelly as she begins performances in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre on 2 February 2015 to 29 March 2015.
She will take over the role from Amra-Faye Wright who plays her final performance on 1 February 2015. Hughes will join Jennifer Nettles who takes over the role of Roxy Hart on the same day.
Carly Hughes is currently starring as the Leading Player in the Tony Award winning revival of Pippin at the Music Box Theatre. Her previous Broadway credits include 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical', 'The Book of Mormon', 'Ghost', 'Ragtime', 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' and 'Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas'.
She will take over the role of Velma Kelly in the Tony Award winning revival, which has recently become the second longest running musical on Broadway. The current cast includes John O'Hurley as Billy Flynn, R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine, Paul C. Vogt as Amos Hart and NaTasha Yvette Williams as Matron Mama Morton.
Chicago is Broadway's longest-running musical revival, as well as the longest-running American show in Broadway history. It has been playing on Broadway since 14 November 1996, and it moved to its current home, the Ambassador Theatre, on the 29 January 2003.
The musical tells a story of "Murder, Greed, Violence, Exploitation, Adultery and Treachery", as it follows 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 features a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with a book by Bob Fosse & Fred Ebb. The revival production 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. The show is currently booking to 4 January 2015.
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