Chicago: Matthew Settle to play Billy Flynn

"Gossip Girl" star Matthew Settle will make his Broadway stage debut in the role of slick criminal lawyer 'Billy Flynn' for a ten-week limited engagement, from 29 Mar - 6 Jun 2010, in the Tony Award-winning hit musical Chicago. He will assume the role from Brent Barrett who plays his final performance on 27 Mar 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.'

Chicago currently stars Terra C. MacLeod (Velma Kelly), Michelle Williams (Roxie Hart), Brent Barrett (Billy Flynn), Roz Ryan (Mama Morton), Ray Bokhour (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).

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.