Chicago: Wendy Williams' Broadway debut delayed

Talk show host Wendy Williams will now begin her Broadway debut engagement as Matron "Mama" Morton in the Tony Award winning musical Chicago from 28 Jun 2013. Williams will assume the role from Christine Pedi.

Williams, who was originally scheduled to begin performances on 25 Jun 2013, has had to delay her appearance due to a sinus infection. She will still remain with the production through to 11 Aug 2013 as first announced.

Wendy Williams launched her nationally-syndicated weekday program, "The Wendy Williams Show," in Jul 2009. The show airs in 52 countries, on BET at midnight, and is now in its fourth season, has been renewed on Fox through 2014. Prior to television show, Williams had a 23-year career in radio, with "The Wendy Williams Experience," for which she was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in November of 2009-one of only a handful of women with that honor.

Williams competed on Season 12 of ABC's dancing competition "Dancing With The Stars," has hosted Game Show Network's original series "Love Triangle," and appeared as a featured guest on ABC's "One Life to Live" and Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva."

Chicago currently stars Amra-Fay Wright (Velma Kelly), Amy Spanger (Roxie Hart), Alexander Gemignani (Billy Flynn), Christine Pedi (Mama Morton), Raymond Bokhor (Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (Mary Sunshine).

Chicago is the second longest-running production currently playing on Broadway, 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 22 Dec 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.

Wendy Williams

Originally published on

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