Chicago: Matthew Settle makes B'way debut
Gossip Girl" star Matthew Settle make his Broadway stage debut in the role of slick criminal lawyer 'Billy Flynn' for a ten-week limited engagement, from 19 Apr - 13 Jun 2010, in the Tony Award-winning hit musical Chicago. He assumes the role from Tom Hewitt who played his final performance on 18 Apr 2010.
Matthew Settle currently stars as 'Rufus' on the CW Network's drama "Gossip Girl." The show, now in its third season, was developed from The New York Times best-selling novels of the same name by producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.
Settle starred as lead character 'Jacob Wheeler' in 2005's TNT epic six-week television event, "Into the West," from executive producer Steven Spielberg. The series was nominated for 16 Emmy Awards. He is also known for his role as 'Capt. Ronald Speirs' in HBO's Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning mini-series "Band of Brothers." Other television credits include "Brothers & Sisters," "The Practice" and "ER."
In film, Settle will next star in 'Ex-Terminators' with Jennifer Coolidge and Heather Graham.Past film credits include Callie Khouri's film adaptation of 'Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,' in which he starred opposite Ashley Judd; Jonathan Mostow's World War II submarine drama 'U-571' and 'Warren Beatty' in Peter Bogdanovich's 'The Mystery of Natalie Wood.'
In other Broadway casting news, D. Vogel assumes the role of Mary Sunshine from 19 Apr - 9 May 2010, covering the role for R. Lowe who returns to the show on 10 May 2010.Chicago now stars Amra-Faye Wrigh (Velma Kelly), *Bianca Marroquin (Roxie Hart), Matthew Settle (Billy Flynn), *Roz Ryan (Mama Morton), Ray Bokhour (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).
*From 26 Apr 2010, Ruthie Henshall will assume the role of 'Roxie Hart' and Terri White the role of 'Mama Morton.'
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.
Matthew Settle as 'Billy Flynn'Originally published on