Chicago: new principal cast from 1 Nov 2011
On the 1 Nov 2011 the Tony Award winning musical Chicago will welcome back John O'Hurley to the role of 'Billy Flynn' and Charlotte d'Amboise as 'Roxie Hart.' They will be joined by newcomer Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines as 'Velma Kelly.'
The trio replace Tony Yazbeck (Billy Flynn), Kara DioGuardi (Roxie Hart) and Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly), who play their final performance on 30 Oct 2011.
John O'Hurley (Billy Flynn) first appeared on Broadway as 'Billy Flynn' in 2006, and returned to the role again in 2010. He has reprised that role with the National Touring company of Chicago in recent years. He also starred as 'King Arthur' in the Las Vegas production of 'Monty Python's Spamalot.'
Charlotte d'Amboise (Roxie Hart) is a veteran of the musical Chicago having previously played the role of 'Roxie' on Broadway eleven times, the first in 1999. For her portrayal of this role in previous national tours of Chicago, d'Amboise earned the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, L.A. Ovation Award and a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award.
New to the Broadway show, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines (Velma Kelly) has appeared on Broadway in 'The Color Purple,' 'The Little Mermaid,' 'Pal Joey' and most recently, 'Memphis.' Beyond her Broadway credits, Gaines is also a successful dancer, having performed with Alvin Ailey, the Frankfurt Ballet and Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn.
Chicago currently stars Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly), Kara DioGuardi (Roxie Hart), Tony Yazbeck (Billy Flynn), Carol Woods (Mama Morton), Chris Sullivan (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).
Soon to celebrate fifteen 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 becomes the fouth longest running musical in Broadway history on 27 Aug 2011, surpassing A Chorus Line with a total of 6,138 performances!
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 1 Jul 2012.
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 fifth longest-running production in Broadway history, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival.
John O'HurleyCharlotte d'AmboiseBahiyah Sayyed GainesOriginally published on