Bianca Marroquín Sets Return to Chicago on Broadway
(© David Gordon)
Longtime Chicago veteran Bianca Marroquín will return to the Broadway cast as Velma Kelly for a limited run, March 13-April 9, at the Ambassador Theatre.
Marroquín has periodically played Roxie Hart in the Broadway company of Chicago in over 4,000 performances spanning the past 20 years. She first performed the role of Roxie in 2002 in Mexico City's Spanish-language production. Soon after, she was invited to join the Broadway company where she made history becoming the first Mexican woman in a leading role on Broadway. For Broadway's return in 2021, she made her debut in the role of Velma Kelly, joining a short list of legendary women who have both played Roxie and Velma in the show — including Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, and Ruthie Henshall.
The current cast of Chicago features Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie Hart, Lana Gordon as Velma Kelly, James T. Lane as Billy Flynn, Jinkx Monsoon as Matron "Mama" Morton, Evan Harrington as Amos Hart, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine. The cast also includes David Bushman, Christine Cornish, Jennifer Dunne, Jessica Ernest, Jeff Gorti, Arian Keddell, Mary Claire King, Marty Lawson, Joseph London, Barrett Martin, Sharon Moore, Drew Nellessen, Celina Nightengale, Brian O'Brien, Denny Paschall, Jermaine R. Rembert, Rachel Schur, and Michael Scirrotto.
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.
Chicago features a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Ann Reinking, this revival has been playing on Broadway since 1996 and is one of the longest-running Broadway productions in history.
