Chicago is Broadway's sixth-longest running show

Chicago is Broadway's sixth-longest running show On 12 Jan 2010, the internationally acclaimed revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical Chicago will reach yet another major milestone when it becomes the sixth-longest running production in Broadway history, surpassing 'Beauty and the Beast' with a total of 5,462 performances! As of that date, the top ten longest-running Broadway productions will be as follows (* indicates the production is still running): 1. * The Phantom of the Opera (9,133) 2. Cats (7,485) 3. Les Miserables (6,680) 4. A Chorus Line (6,137) 5. Oh! Calcutta (5,959) 6. * CHICAGO (5,462) 7. Beauty and the Beast (5,461) 8. Rent (5,124) 9. * The Lion King (5,078) 10. Miss Saigon (4,097) "What a joy to mark another amazing milestone in the life of our show," said producer Barry Weissler. "Year after year, we see that audiences continue to have an incredible affinity for Chicago. In fact, our year-end data for 2009 shows a remarkable 11% increase over 2008 in both cumulative box office grosses and cumulative ticket sales -- which, in a year of such economic uncertainty, is quite extraordinary." The revival of Chicago began its journey to becoming an international, billion-dollar stage success in the summer of 1996. After its celebrated rediscovery at City Center Encores!, the production opened to rave reviews on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on 14 Nov 1996, with a cast headlined by Ann Reinking as 'Roxie Hart,' Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth as 'Velma Kelly,' Tony Award winner James Naughton as 'Billy Flynn' and Joey Grey as 'Amos Hart.' Chicago then transferred to the Shubert Theatre on 11 Feb 1997. Nearly six years later, on 29 Jan 2003, it transferred a second time to its current Broadway home, the Ambassador Theatre, where it is currently booking through to 5 Sep 2010. Chicago follows not your usual housewife, Roxie Hart, who gains dubious notoriety when she kills her boyfriend, invents her defense and manipulates everyone from her trustworthy husband to the fickle media and the unsuspecting public. Featuring 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. Chicago currently features Ashlee Simpson-Wentz as 'Roxie Hart,' Deidre Goodwin as 'Velma Kelly,' Brent Barrett as 'Billy Flynn,' Raymond Bokhour as 'Amos Hart' and Roz Ryan as 'Matron "Mama" Morton.' Grammy Award winner Michelle Williams assumes the role of 'Roxie Hart' from 8 Feb Obba Babatunde currently plays 'Billy Flynn' until Brent Barrett returns from his vacation on 18 Jan 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 won six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, and also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.