10th Anniversary Chicago DVD/CD Set Released Oct. 3

Masterworks Broadway will release the 10th Anniversary CD / DVD Box Set of the Broadway smash Chicago on October 3, 2006. Currently Broadway's longest-running musical revival, the show opened November 14, 1996 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and is now playing at the Ambassador Theatre (219 West 49th Street between Broadway & Eighth Avenue). The revival is the recipient of six Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and its cast album is the winner of the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
 
"Since the show's opening in 1996, starring Ann Reinking (Roxie Hart), Bebe Neuwirth (Velma Kelly), James Naughton, Joel Grey, Marcia Lewis, many dynamic stars of Broadway and beyond have lit up the Chicago stage in past 10 years. Notables such as Melanie Griffith, Brooke Shields, Patrick Swayze, Taye Diggs, Michael C. Hall, Paige Davis, Marilu Henner, Rita Wilson, Tom Wopat, Charlotte D'Amboise, John O'Hurley, Obba Babatundé, Brent Barrett, PJ Benjamin, Gregory Harrison, Sharon Lawrence, Caroline O'Connor and many, many others have shined in Chicago," state press notes.

Beginning August 22, 2006, multi-platinum recording artist Usher will star in the role of Billy Flynn. Directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed in the style of Bob Fosse by Ann Reinking, the show features original music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Fred Ebb & Bob Fosse and the original orchestrations by Ralph Burns. One of Broadway's most popular smash-hit musicals, Chicago is an electrifying tale of greed, murder and show biz, with songs such as "All That Jazz" and "Razzle Dazzle." The revival ss produced by Barry & Fran Weissler (Sweet Charity, Wonderful Town, Annie Get Your Gun).

The release of the CD / DVD Box Set coincides with the 10th Anniversary of the musical revival. A gala performance of Chicago will take place Tuesday, November 14 at the Ambassador Theatre, marking the show's anniversary in New York. The gala will celebrate the musical's record-breaking run on Broadway and will help raise awareness and funds for Safe Horizon, the nation's leading victim assistance organization.
 
The Chicago 10th Anniversary CD / DVD Box Set includes: CD1: the complete Broadway cast recording -- original revival cast (track list below); CD2: Chicago classics performed by internationally celebrated stars (track list below); a special bonus DVD featuring performance footage and interviews (DVD contents listed below); and a 68-page book featuring the provocative images from the Chicago advertising campaign, along with newly written essays by John Kander, Walter Bobbie, Ann Reinking, Rob Fisher and Barry Weissler.

CD1 track list:
 "Overture" – The Band
 "All That Jazz" – Bebe Neuwirth & Company

 "Funny Honey" – Ann Reinking with Joel Grey & Michael Kubala
 "Cell Block Tango" – Bebe Neuwirth & Girls
 "When Your Good To Mama" – Marcia Lewis
 "All I Care About" – James Naughton & Girls
 "A Little Bit Of Good" – D. Sabella
 "We Both Reached For The Gun" – James Naughton, Ann Reinking, D. Sabella & Company
 "Roxie" – Ann Reinking & Company
 "I Can't Do It Alone" – Bebe Neuwirth
 "I Can't Do It Alone (Reprise)" – Bebe Neuwirth
 "My Own Best Friend" – Ann Reinking & Bebe Neuwirth
 "Entr' Acte" – The Band
 "I Know A Girl" – Bebe Neuwirth
 "Me and My Baby" – Ann Reinking & Boys
 "Mister Cellophane" – Joel Grey
 "When Velma Takes The Stand" – Bebe Neuwirth & Boys
 "Razzle Dazzle" – James Naughton & Company
 "Class" – Bebe Neuwirth & Marcia Lewis
 "Nowadays" – Ann Reinking & Bebe Neuwirth
 "Hot Honey Rag" – The Band
 "Finale" – Company

 CD2 track list:
 "Looping the Loop" – Fred Ebb & John Kander (demo, cut from original 1975 production)
 "All That Jazz" – Anna Montanaro (sung in German)
 "When Your Good To Mama" – Lynda Carter
 "All I Care About" – John O'Hurley
 "Roxie" – Brooke Shields
 "Ten Percent" – Fred Ebb & John Kander (demo, cut from original 1975 production)
 "Me And My Baby" – Melanie Griffith
 "Razzle Dazzle" – Jerry Orbach
 "Funny Honey"/"Me and My Baby"/"Nowadays" – Bianca Marroquin (sung in Spanish)
 "My Own Best Friend" – Liza Minnelli
 "All That Jazz" – Ute Lemper
 "Nowadays" – Gwen Verdon & Chita Rivera

The DVD includes: interviews with Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Walter Bobbie, John Kander, Rob Fisher, and Fran & Barry Weissler; The Story of "Ten Percent" (a song cut from the original 1975 production); and footage from international productions in Holland, Italy, Brazil, Germany, Mexico & Russia.

The recent mergers of Sony BMG combined the Sony Classical/Columbia Masterworks and RCA Victor labels, and led to the formation of Masterworks Broadway, which houses one of the most formidable catalogues of cast albums anywhere, with recent titles such as Tony winner Avenue Q, and Grammy-award winners The Producers and Hairspray, as well as the treasured original cast recordings of West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Sweeney Todd, Company and Sunday In The Park With George, among many others.

The 10th Anniversary CD / DVD Box Set of Chicago will be released nationwide October 3, 2006 on Masterworks Broadway. The suggested list price is $34.98.