Chicago – The Musical Announces “Criminally Great” Cast!

The razzle dazzle is back—and bolder than ever. The global smash-hit Chicago the Musical today announces its “criminally great” cast ahead of its strictly limited season touring Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin starting next month.

Taking centre stage in this bold new production is a stellar line-up of Aotearoa talent, led by entertainment icon Jackie Clarke as the indomitable Mamma Morton, alongside musical theatre powerhouse Nomi Cohen (Kinky Boots, We Will Rock You) as the sly and ambitious Roxie Hart, and Lily Bourne (Shortland Street, Fun Home) as the sharp and sizzling Velma Kelly.

They’re joined by screen and stage favourite Joel Tobeck (Shortland Street, One Lane Bridge, Avatar: The Way of Water) as the slick, silver-tongued lawyer Billy Flynn, seasoned actor Andy Grainger (Jersey Boys, The Brokenwood Mysteries) as Roxie’s loyal husband Amos Hart, burlesque star Hannah Tasker-Poland (Legend of the Seeker, Ash vs Evil Dead) as the fiery inmate Liz, and veteran performer Stephen Butterworth (Pop-up Globe, Lord of the Rings) as the stern but theatrical Judge.

Helmed by acclaimed Kiwi theatre director Michael Hurst ONZM, this striking new staging of Chicago promises to deliver all the scandal, sass and showstopping musical numbers that have made it a global sensation—including All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango, and Razzle Dazzle. Joining him in sculpting the show’s dynamic visual world is celebrated choreographer Shona McCullagh MNZM while the elaborate set is being created by award-winning designer Chris Reddington.

Premiering at Auckland’s Bruce Mason Centre from 31 July, then heading to Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal from 17 August, and finally Dunedin’s Regent Theatre from 29 August, this is a strictly limited run of one of the most popular musical theatre shows in history.

Featuring a cast of top-tier singers, dancers, and actors, this is a full-scale professional production set to light up the stage with its intoxicating mix of 1920s glamour, Prohibition-era grit, and dazzling choreography.

“Chicago the Musical is one of the world’s most iconic stage shows. It’s a delicious blend of showbiz, crime, and satire—with a dream cast to match. We can’t wait to share this knockout production with audiences across the country,” says producer Ben McDonald.

Based on real events and created by the legendary Broadway trio John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse, Chicago is a searing satire on celebrity and justice, set in a world where fame is the ultimate currency and murder is just the opening act.

Chicago centres on Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who dreams of being a vaudeville star. She's cheating on her sweet but dim-witted husband named Amos — and when her lover tries to end their affair, she kills him in a fit of rage. Getting thrown in the Cook County Jail seems like a surefire end to Roxie's dreams of stardom, but her sentence ends up being her ticket to fame.
 
Her lawyer, the smooth-talking Billy Flynn, helps her concoct a defence that earns the press' sympathy and gets her face on the cover of every newspaper in Chicago. And while in jail, Roxie meets Velma Kelly, an established vaudeville star who murdered her husband and sister. The women begin as rivals, as Roxie seeks to steal Velma's lawyer (Billy) and her spotlight, but they come around to an unlikely alliance.
 
Chicago is a spectacle full of social satire, intrigue, love, betrayal, rivalry and friendship, a pageant of music and dance that adroitly shifts between reality and fantasy, as Roxie Hart’s world moves from prison to the courtroom to the stage.

With a trophy shelf that includes six Tonys, two Oliviers, a Grammy, and six Academy Awards, Chicago is the longest-running musical revival in Broadway history and continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

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