Photo credit: Jennifer Holliday (Photo courtesy of production)

Jennifer Holliday to play Mama Morton in ‘Chicago’

The Tony-winning actress will return to the show for eight weeks.

Sophie Thomas
Sophie Thomas

When you're good to Jennifer Holliday, Jennifer Holliday's good to you. The Tony and Grammy-winning actress will reprise the role of Matron Mama Morton in Chicago on Broadway. Chicago is at the Ambassador Theatre. Get Chicago tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Holliday will star in Chicago for eight weeks from June 9 - July 31. She first played the role for a limited engagement in summer 2001.

Holliday is best known for portraying Effie White in Dreamgirls on Broadway, notably singing "And I am Telling You, I'm Not Going" and winning a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2016, Holliday played Shug Avery in The Color Purple on Broadway. To date, Holliday has released seven albums and enjoyed five top 10 singles.

The Chicago cast alongside Holliday includes Emma Pittman as Roxie Hart, playing the role from June 6 - 19. Lana Gordon plays Velma Kelly, with Ryan Silverman as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart and Ryan Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

Chicago centers on Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, two vaudeville performers-turned-murderesses in 1920s Chicago. While in jail, they compete for the attention of the sensational press and a slick lawyer in the hopes of becoming celebrities and getting off scot-free. 

Chicago features a book by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb, with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb. Walter Bobbie directs Chicago, and the production features choreography by Ann Reinking, set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer.

Chicago is at the Ambassador Theatre.

Get Chicago tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Photo credit: Jennifer Holliday (Photo courtesy of production)

Originally published on

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