Bianca Marroquin Returns to CHICAGO

Today, 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.

Born in Monterrey, Mexico, 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 spring.

The Broadway production of CHICAGO also currently stars Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie Hart (through January 15), Bahiyah Hibah as Velma Kelly, Latin-American star Marco Zunino as Billy Flynn, Chris Sullivan as Amos Hart and Carol Woods as Matron "Mama" Morton.

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.

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.

Visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.