Get ready to pop, six, squish – the musical on everybody’s lips is heading for Sydney with a star-spangled cast. Chicago will razzle dazzle its way to the Harbour City's lush Capitol Theatre in June 2024 after doing time in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. Pre-sale for the Sydney season starts on October 9, with general public sales from Friday, October 13 (spooky!).
Returning to the stage to play the powerful and glamorous Velma Kelly is Zoë Ventoura. After starting her career on the musical theatre stage, Ventoura spent many years working on television and in film, and is best known for her roles as Mel Rafter in the original cast of Packed To The Rafters and as Dr Alex Nielson in Home and Away.
Joining her as the irreverent and determined Roxie Hart is musical theatre star Lucy Maunder, fresh from playing the role of Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins. Maunder has shone in many musical productions including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fun Home, Matilda: The Musical, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Grease and Pippin.
One of Australian theatre’s greatest leading men, Anthony Warlow, will step into the shoes of the cunning and charismatic lawyer Billy Flynn. A beloved and prolific star on Broadway and across Australia, Warlow’s notable musical theatre roles include lead roles in The Phantom of the Opera, The Wizard of Oz, Annie, The Secret Garden, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Les Misérables.
As Roxie’s gullible and hapless husband, Amos, will be much-loved comedy icon and character actor Peter Rowsthorn. Recognised as long-suffering husband and pants-man Brett Craig on Kath & Kim, Peter has performed in many Australian television comedy series and on stage across the country. Following her star turn as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, Asabi Goodman joins the cast as the tough and sassy prison warden Matron ‘Mama’ Morton.
Chicago is the longest-running American musical in Broadway and West End history. You can expect a show-stopping production full of murder, greed, exploitation, adultery and treachery, featuring hit songs like ‘All That Jazz’, ‘Roxie’, ‘Cell Block Tango’ and ‘Razzle Dazzle’. Created by theatre heavyweights John Kander, Fred Ebb and choreographer Bob Fosse, Chicago has been no stranger to awards, winning six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy over the years.
Based on the 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, Chicago is set amidst the decadence of the Roaring Twenties. It traces the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her side-lover after he threatens to walk out on her. In a desperate bid to avoid conviction, she hires Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her crime into a slew of sensational headlines.
Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery – and ‘All That Jazz’. What else could you desire in a musical? It would be a crime to miss it.
Chicago returns to Aussie stages care of John Frost and Crossroads Live. This production sees out the national tour at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from June 9, 2024. Join the waitlist at chicagomusical.com.au.
