Chicago: Grey's Anatomy star Chandra Wilson assumes the role of Matron 'Mama' Morton
Three-time Emmy Award nominee and "Grey's Anatomy" star Chandra Wilson steps into the celebrated role of Matron "Mama" Morton, the reigning cellblock diva of the Tony Award winning musical Chicago, for a four-week limited engagement, from 8 Jun - 5 Jul 2009.
For her critically-acclaimed portrayal of Dr. Miranda Bailey on "Grey's Anatomy," Wilson has earned not only three Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, but also a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, a second Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Series Ensemble and three NAACP Image Awards.
A Houston native, Wilson began performing in musicals at the age of five with Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS), where she appeared in more than ten of their major musical productions. She went on to earn her BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she spent four years training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute
Her greatest New York stage accomplishment thus far is her portrayal of 'Bonna Willis 'in the production of Lynda Barry's 'The Good Times Are Killing Me, both at the Second Stage and Minetta Lane Theatres, for which she won a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance. In 2004 she was selected by The New York Times as one of "Eight to Watch, Onstage and Behind the Scenes."
This honor came in conjunction with the Broadway opening of 'Caroline, or Change,' written by Tony Kushner, composed by Jeanine Tesori and directed by George C. Wolfe, in which she portrayed 'Dotty Moffett' opposite Tonya Pinkins.
She also appeared in the Broadway productions of Avenue Q and On the Town. Her other stage credits include Caroline, or Change at The Public Theatre, The Miracle Worker at Charlotte Repertory Theatre, Paper Moon: The Musical at The Paper Mill Playhouse and Theresa Rebeck's The Family of Mann at Second Stage Theatre. Chicago now stars Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly), Charlotte d�Amboise (Roxie Hart), Tom Hewitt (Billy Flynn), Chandra Wilson (Matron 'Mama' Morton), Raymond Bokhour (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).
As previously announced Brent Barrett (Billy Flynn from 7 Jul), Bryn Dowling (Roxie from 15Jun), Bonnie Langford (Roxie from 29 Jun), Roz Ryan (Mama Morton from 7 Jul) and Tom Farrell (Amos from 15 Jun) are to join the cast of Chicago during the summer. Now celebrating twelve 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. The musical has recently extended its booking period through to 20 Dec 2009. 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.
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