Bianca Marroquin, Brian O'Brien Join CHICAGO

On Tuesday, July 17, 2012, Broadway's celebrated revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO will welcome back Mexican stage and screen sensation Bianca Marroquin in the starring role of Roxie Hart.

Marroquin will be joined onstage by longtime CHICAGO company member Brian O'Brien, who steps into the co-starring role of "that silver-tongued prince of the courtroom" Billy Flynn for a three-week engagement through Sunday, August 5.

One of CHICAGO's most celebrated and longstanding cast members, Bianca Marroquin began her stage career in Mexico City in productions of Beauty and the Beast, Rent, The Vagina Monologues, The Phantom of the Opera, and CHICAGO.

For her Spanish-language portrayal of merry murderess Roxie Hart, Bianca received five awards from the Mexican Critics Association, including New Revelation and Best Actress.

Following her success in the Mexican production, Bianca crossed over to Broadway and made her debut as Roxie Hart with the English version of CHICAGO, making her the first Latina actress in history to crossover to Broadway from her native production in a leading role.

Her other Broadway credits include In the Heights (Daniela) and The Pajama Game (Carmen). Her regional stage credits include And the World Goes Round at Barrington Stage and Bye Bye Birdie at North Shore Music Theatre. She is the recipient of the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her performance in the National Tour of CHICAGO.

On Spanish television, she is well known as a judge on both the popular Univision dance competition series "Mira Quien Baila" ("Look Who's Dancing") and on Televisa's "Pequeños Gigantes" ("Little Giants"). Earlier this month she finished shooting her first starring role in the Spanish soap opera "Esperanza del Corazon" ("Hope of the Heart"), also on Univision and Televisa.

Her debut album Nuestros Tesoros will be released this fall.

As Roxie Hart, Marroquin takes over for Japanese superstar Ryoko Yonekura, who concluded her Broadway debut engagement yesterday (Sunday, July 15).

Brian O'Brien is honored to be returning to the role of Billy Flynn having played the part in both the Broadway and National Touring companies of CHICAGO.

His other Broadway credits include Promises, Promises; The Pirate Queen; Beauty and the Beast; Annie Get Your Gun and Steel Pier.

O'Brien's additional New York credits include The Actors Fund/Vineyard concert presentation of Kander and Ebb's The Visit, and Bye Bye Birdie at City Center's Encores! series, as well as the National Tour of Monty Python's Spamalot.

Regionally, Brian played Randy Curtis in Lady in the Dark at The Prince Theater in Philadelphia and various productions for The Goodspeed Opera House, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Signature Theater and The North Carolina Theater.

Originally from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, O'Brien is a graduate of Seton Hall University.

In the role of Billy Flynn, O'Brien replaces Tony Yazbeck, who concluded his most recent engagement yesterday. Yazbeck returns to the role on Tuesday, August 7.

The Broadway production of CHICAGO also stars Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart and Carol Woods as Matron "Mama" Morton.