This month, the record-breaking worldwide musical smash CHICAGO will welcome two favorite leading ladies to headline the Broadway company.
First, direct from the London and South Africa companies of CHICAGO,
Amra-Faye Wright joins the Broadway cast as Velma Kelly on Monday, February 2.
And on Friday, February 13, two-time Tony Award nominee
Charlotte d'Amboise steps back into the role of Roxie Hart on Broadway, prior to headlining the upcoming engagement of the CHICAGO National Tour at Chicago's Ford Center for the Performing Arts (February 26 - March 8).
Since 2005,
Amra-Faye Wright has played the role of Velma Kelly throughout the world -- including Broadway, London's West End; Johannesburg and Capetown, South Africa; and on tour throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.
She also took part in both the Broadway and London 10th Anniversary productions of CHICAGO.
Wright's other theatrical credits include Vi Moore in Footloose (UK Tour), Sandy in Grease (Johannesburg Superbowl), Sheila in A Chorus Line (Civic Theatre, Johannesburg) and others.
She has written and performed several one-woman shows, including It's Not Where I Start, Drinks on Me and Rouge Pulp.
Wright succeeds Tony nominee
Brenda Braxton in the role of Velma Kelly. Braxton plays her final performance on Sunday, February 1.
Charlotte d'Amboise made her debut as Roxie Hart in 1997 with the first national tour of CHICAGO. For that performance, she earned the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Ovation Award and the Bay Area Theatre Circle Award.
Since then, she has played Roxie Hart more than 2,000 times, on Broadway (1,250+ performances) and on various national tours (750+ performances) -- more than any other actress in the show's history.
Last year, d'Amboise was nominated for a Best Featured Actress Tony Award for her performance as Cassie in the revival of A Chorus Line. She received her first Tony Award nomination in 1989 for her performance in
Jerome Robbins' Broadway.
The daughter of legendary choreographer
Jacques d'Amboise, her other Broadway credits include Sweet Charity and Damn Yankees, both of which earned her a
Fred Astaire Award; Can-Can with City Center Encores!; Contact; Company; Carrie; Song and Dance and Cats.
d'Amboise replaces
Melora Hardin in the role of Roxie Hart. Hardin's seven-week limited engagement concludes on Thursday, February 12.
* * * * *
On Monday, February 16, d'Amboise and Wright will be joined by two-time Tony nominee
Tom Wopat in the role of slick criminal laywer Billy Flynn.
Wopat returns to the Broadway company after starring in the current National Tour of CHICAGO. His other Broadway credits include
A Catered Affair (Tom, Tony nomination), Glengarry Glen Ross (James Lingk), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Annie Get Your Gun (
Frank Butler, Tony nomination),
Guys and Dolls, City of Angels, Carousel and I Love My Wife.
He has released successful albums with CBS, Capitol and Angel Records; has toured throughout the U.S. and Europe; and recently performed in a
Carnegie Hall tribute to
Harold Arlen. Wopat's CD tribute to
Harold Arlen, Dissertation on the State of Bliss, is now available.
In the role of Flynn, Wopat follows Tony nominee
Tom Hewitt, who plays his final performance on Sunday, February 15.
Now celebrating twelve glorious years of girls, glitz and glamour on the Great White Way, the razzle-dazzle hit CHICAGO is currently the second longest-running production currently playing on Broadway, as well as Broadway's longest-running musical revival...and it shows no sign of slowing down!
Currently playing at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St.), CHICAGO is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.
Produced by Barry and
Fran Weissler, CHICAGO is directed by
Walter Bobbie and choreographed by
Ann Reinking, and features set design by
John Lee Beatty, costume design by
William Ivey Long, lighting design by
Ken Billington and sound design by
Scott Lehrer. CHICAGO features a book by
Fred Ebb and
Bob Fosse, music by John Kader and lyrics by
Fred Ebb.
The production features orchestrations by
Ralph Burns, supervising music direction by
Rob Fisher and music direction by
Leslie Stifelman.
Visit
www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information, including ticket prices and performance schedule.
