MISERY's Bruce Willis and CHICAGO's Rumer Willis; Daddy/Daughter Broadway Debuts

Traditional father/daughter bonding activities like riding bicycles, going to the zoo or learning how to ballroom dance are fun, but when the father is a top draw action movie hero and the daughter is the reigning champ on DANCING WITH THE STARS, the possibilities expand a bit.

With last night's first preview of MISERY, dad and daughter Bruce and Rumer Willis are now officially making their Broadway debuts together; he, opposite Laurie Metcalf, as MISERY's unfortunate novelist, who has a chilling encounter with his "number one fan," and she as the latest Roxie Hart, CHICAGO's murdering showgirl who nobody walks out on.

Rumer Willis' CHICAGO stint is schedule to end on November 1st, so their time working in the same neighborhood will be short-lived. In a New York Magazine interview, both agreed that starring on Broadway is an exciting new experience and a lot of hard work.

"You really have to take care of yourself in a totally different way when you're doing Broadway," says the 27 year old daughter. "The thing about Broadway, it's a lifestyle, it's not just your job. You have eight shows a week, so you have to conserve your energy. Your life is all wrapped up in this bubble. You have to really want to be here. People do this for years; I'm only doing it for two months, and it's crazy in my head. I've heard crazy things about saving your voice for stage: People telling me things like you can't eat tomato sauce, you can't drink orange juice. All these crazy things for your voice."

Father agrees, "It's the first time in a long time I've even had to consider caring for my voice and not yelling, not making a lot of noise. I find myself speaking in a really low register all the time now. And there's a lot of yelling in MISERY."

Both claim that the other has the more difficult job. When the elder points out all the singing and dancing his offspring's role requires, she kid's, "But you're so much more exposed onstage! I can just do jazz hands and I'm fine!"

He counters, "I spend, out of 90 minutes, probably 80 either in a bed or in a wheelchair. I only walk in one scene. I'm not getting any exercise. Well, I do lift a typewriter over my head at one point. That's about it."

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Broadway's new suspense thriller Misery, starring two-time Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe Award winner Bruce Willis and three-time Emmy Award winner Laurie Metcalf and written by two-time Academy Award winner William Goldman, just began performances last night, October 22, 2015, at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 W 44th Street), and officially opens on Sunday, November 15, 2015, in a strictly limited 16-week engagement.

Successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Bruce Willis) is rescued from a car crash by his "Number One Fan," Annie Wilkes (Laurie Metcalf), and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads the manuscript to his newest novel and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new "Misery" novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it, and if he does not make her deadline, it will.

MISERY has scenic design by David Korins (Hamilton), costume design by Academy Award and Tony Award winnerAnn Roth (The Book of Mormon), lighting design by David Weiner (The Normal Heart), sound design by Tony Award winner Darron L. West (Peter and the Starcatcher), and casting by Telsey + Company/William Cantler, CSA.

The Broadway production of Chicago recently announced that TV sensation NeNe Leakes (Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta") will be joining the cast for 4 weeks only in the role of Matron "Mama" Morton beginning November 23, 2015. She will perform through December 20, 2015.

Chicago currently stars actress and "Dancing with the Stars" winner Rumer Willis as Roxie Hart (thru Nov. 1 only), international stage sensation Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Jason Danieley as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart,NaTasha Yvette Williams as Matron "Mama" Morton and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

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.

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.

Directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking, Chicagofeatures 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.
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.