Gary Wilmot Extends As 'Billy Flynn' In UK Tour Of CHICAGO, New Tour Dates Added

Gary Wilmot will continue in his starring role of ‘Billy Flynn' in the UK National tour of the smash-hit musical "CHICAGO" from Monday 23 November until Saturday 19 December 2009, with further dates and casting to be announced.

Gary Wilmot, star of West End musicals including "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", "Me And My Girl", "Carmen Jones" and "Copacabana", has played major UK tours with "Oliver!", "Half a Sixpence", Willy Russell's "One For The Road", Alan Ayckbourn's "Confusions", and "Travels with My Aunt". More recently, Gary has appeared in "HMS Pinafore" at the Open Air Theatre Regent's Park and as ‘The Lion' in "The Wizard of Oz" at the Royal FestivAl Hall.

Praise for Gary includes: ‘superb'... ‘just the right amount of razzle dazzle'... ‘engaging and magnetic, Wilmot lit up the stage with his witty interpretation of Flynn's famous lines'.

The following tour dates have now been confirmed:

Leeds Grand (23 - 28 November) Box office 0844 848 2701
Norwich Theatre Royal (30 November - 5 December) Box office 01603 630 000
Brighton Dome (16 - 19 December) Box office 01273 709 709

"CHICAGO", which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Scenic design is by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting by Ken Billington and sound by Rick Clarke. Musical supervision is by Rob Fisher. "CHICAGO" is choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and directed by Walter Bobbie.

"CHICAGO" opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 18 November 1997 to rave reviews, winning the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for 'Outstanding Musical Production' as well as the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for 'Best Musical', and immediately became a sell-out hit. The show in London, now at the Cambridge Theatre, is in its twelfth year. "CHICAGO" currently plays in New York, Japan, Denmark and on tour in the US, with forthcoming productions in Australia, Korea, Holland and Spain.

The National UK Tour of "CHICAGO" is produced by David Ian Productions in association with the Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler. Further dates and casting announcements to follow.

For more information, visit www.chicagothemusical.com/uktour.php