Chicago: Bianca Marroquin and Brian O'Brien

Bianca Marroquin will return to the cast of the Tony Award winning musical Chicago on 17 Jul 2012 starring as 'Roxie Hart,' assuming the role from Ryoko Yonekur.

Marroquin first portrayed 'Roxie Hart' in the Mexico City production of Chicago in 2002. For that performance, she received five awards from the Mexican Critics Association, including New Revelation and Best Actress. Following the success of that production, she was then invited to crossover from Mexico City to New York City, and made her English-language debut as 'Roxie Hart' on Broadway for the first time in 2002. This will be the eigth time she has played the role on the Great White Way.

Marroquin will be joined onstage by longtime Chicago company member Brian O'Brien, who steps into the co-starring role of 'Billy Flynn' for a three-week engagement through 5 Aug 2012. O'Brien assumes the role from Tony Yazbeck.

O'Brien's other Broadway credits include 'Promises, Promises,' 'The Pirate Queen,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Steel Pier.'

Chicago now stars Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly), Bianca Marroquin (Roxie Hart), Brian O'Brien (Billy Flynn), Carol Woods (Mama Morton), Raymond Bokhor (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).

Now in its sixteenth year 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, as well as the longest-running American show in Broadway history.

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 6 Jan 2013.

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 fouth longest-running production in Broadway history, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival.