Chicago: Ryoko Yonekura to star from 10 - 15 Jul 2012

Japanese star Ryoko Yonekura will make her Broadway debut starring as 'Roxie Hart' for a one-week engagement from 10 - 15 Jul 2012 in the Tony Award winning musical Chicago. Yonekura will assume the role from Tracy Shayne who will play her final performance on 8 Jul 2012.

Yonekura originated the role of 'Roxie Hart' in the Japanese-language production of Chicago in 2008 and again in 2010.

Last year, she played 'Scarlet O'Hara' in the Japanese stage adaptation of 'Gone With The Wind' and won the Kazuo Kikuta Drama Award. Her other theater credits include 'Motoko Haraguchi' in 'Kurokawa no Techo.'

Yonekura's films and television credits include "Reiko Usagi" in "The Negotiator," "Arisa Matsui" (Samantha) in the Japanese version of "Bewitched," "Matsuko Matsudaira" in "Nasake no Onna", "Itsuki Takamura" in "Monster Parent" and more.

Chicago currently stars Tara C MacLeod (Velma Kelly), Tracy Shayne (Roxie Hart), Tony Yazbeck (Billy Flynn), *Roz Ryan (Mama Morton), Raymond Bokhor (Amos Hart) and *D. Micchiche (Mary Sunshine).
*On 4 Jun 2012 Carol Woods returns as 'Mama Morton' and R. Lowe returns as 'Mary Sunshine.'

Now in its sixteenth year 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, as well as the longest-running American show in Broadway history.

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 6 Jan 2013.

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 fouth longest-running production in Broadway history, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival.