Bianca Marroquin Returns to Broadway's CHICAGO Next Week

Latina superstar Bianca Marroquin returns to Broadway's Chicago as Roxie Hart beginning Monday, March 31. She is also the newly-crowned National Ambassador for the Broadway industry's new Viva Broadway initiative. (Click image to download full-size JPG) On Monday, March 31, 2014, Broadway's celebrated revival of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse's Tony Award-winning musical Chicago is pleased to welcome back Latina stage and screen sensation Bianca Marroquin to the starring role of Roxie Hart.

One of the Chicago family's most celebrated and longstanding cast members, Bianca Marroquin rejoins the Broadway company after completing a string of critically acclaimed engagements with the National Touring company of Chicago.

Along with her upcoming return to Broadway, Marroquin has just been named the first National Ambassador for Viva Broadway, the new audience development partnership with the Hispanic community, created by The Broadway League to help bridge the world of Broadway with Latino audiences around the country.

"I am so thrilled and honored to serve the Broadway community as the National Ambassador for Viva Broadway," said Bianca Marroquin. "No matter where my career may take me in the fields of television and music, when I'm on Broadway I always feel like I'm home. The Broadway stage is my home. Chicago is my home. And I can't wait to get to work with the Viva Broadway initiative, so that Latinos throughout the country and beyond might share in the unique joy and excitement that only comes through the magic of experiencing live Broadway theatre."

The long-term initiative of Viva Broadway aims to increase awareness about Broadway while culturally enriching lives, bringing families together and building new careers in the theatre. Specific plans include media and education initiatives, as well as conducting workshops and other programs to help augment and develop career opportunities for Latinos within the Latino community.

As the newly-crowned National Ambassador for Viva Broadway, Marroquin will participate in Broadway League and Viva Broadway events and publicity opportunities throughout the year.

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"), Televisa's "Pequeños Gigantes" ("Little Giants") and the Spanish soap opera "Esperanza del Corazon" ("Hope of the Heart"), also on Univision and Televisa.

The Broadway production of Chicago also stars Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Olivier Award nominee Brent Barrett as Billy Flynn, two-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Fitzgerald as Amos Hart and Roz Ryan as Matron "Mama" Morton.

Also on Monday, March 31, Chicago veteran Carol Woods will rejoin the Broadway company as Matron "Mama" Morton, having completed a six-month engagement with the National Touring production.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. The revival is producer on Broadway by Barry and Fran Weissler.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her.
Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.

Directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking, Chicago features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer.