CHICAGO to Become the 3rd Longest-Running Broadway Show on December 20

On Thursday, December 20, 2012, Broadway's globally acclaimed revival of the Tony Award-winning musical Chicago will celebrate another momentous milestone and record-breaking when it plays performance #6,681.

With that 8 p.m. performance at the historic Ambassador Theatre, Chicago will surpass the original Broadway production of Les Miserables to become the third longest-running show in Broadway history.

"Throughout the past 17 years, this production has exceeded my wildest expectations time and time again," said longtime producer Barry Weissler. "Six Tony Awards, a Grammy Award-winning cast album, a six-time Academy Award-winning film adaptation, celebrated productions in 24 countries and 12 different languages across the globe -- and now this Thursday we're breaking Les Miserables' incredible record to become the third longest-running show in Broadway history.

"This is truly a remarkable day, and on behalf of the entire Chicago company, I want to thank the legions of fans and beloved audience members worldwide who have helped our show achieve this incredible milestone in Broadway history."

As of this Thursday, December 20, the top roster of Broadway's all-time longest-running shows will be as follows:

1. "The Phantom of the Opera" -- 10,356 performances
2. "Cats" -- 7,485 performances
3. "Chicago" -- 6,681 performances
4. "Les Miserables" -- 6,680 performances

Now entering its 17th razzle-dazzle year on Broadway, Chicago stars Amy Spanger as Roxie Hart, Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, multiplatinum recording artist Billy Ray Cyrus as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart, Carol Woods as Matron "Mama" Morton and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

The ensemble cast includes Donna Marie Asbury, Nicole Bridgewater, Cristy Candler, Dylis Croman, Michael Cusumano, Jennifer Dunne, David Kent, J. Loeffelholz, Sharon Moore, Peter Nelson, Brian O'Brien, Denny Paschall, Angel Reda, Jason Patrick Sands, Brian Spitulnik, Tonya Wathen, Amos Wolff and Ryan Worsing.

As previously announced, two-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Sieber will return to the role of Billy Flynn beginning Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history -- and it still shows no sign of ever slowing down!

Produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, 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.