Paul Rider as Amos Hart in Chicago. Picture: Catherine Ashmore
Paul Rider will return to the role of Amos Hart in Chicago when the multi award-winning show returns to the West End for the first time in five and a half years later this month.
Rider (Hairspray UK tour), who previously played Amos at both the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres, will join the previously announced Cuba Gooding Jr, Sarah Soetaert, Josefina Gabrielle and Ruthie Henshall in the production which will begin preview performances at the Phoenix Theatre on 26 March.
The cast will also feature: Alan Richardson, Michelle Antrobus, Natalie Bennyworth, Nicola Coates, Frances Dee, Zoe Gappy, Emma Harris, Chelsea Labadini, Joanna Rennie, Abramo Ciullo, Francis Foreman, Luke Jarvis, Matt Krzan, Charles Ruhrmund, Todd Talbot, Callum Macdonald, Chris Warner Drake and Matthew Wesley.
Henshall will become the first British actress to play all three female leading roles in Chicago when she steps into the role of Mama Morton. The West End favourite originated the role of Roxie Hart in the West End in 1997 and went on to play both Roxie and later Velma Kelly on Broadway before returning to the role of Roxie in 2009.
Appearing alongside Oscar winner Gooding Jr, who makes his British stage and musical debut as Billy Flynn, Henshall will be joined Sarah Soetaert (Carousel, Fame) who returns to the role of Roxie Hart she previously played at the Cambridge and Garrick Theatres. Another former Roxie Hart, Josefina Gabrielle (Oklahoma! The Witches of Eastwick) will be the production’s Velma Kelly, after previously playing Roxie at the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres.
Following on from a successful UK and international tour and after a five and half year absence from London, the new production which is based on the 1996 Broadway revival directed by Walter Bobbie with choreography by by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler is currently booking until 23 June.
Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, Chicago has a book by Fred Ebb and Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The musical opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 18 November 1997 to rave reviews and ran for 15 highly successful years in the West End.
The production claimed the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for Best Musical. Chicago is currently playing in New York where it recently celebrated its 21st birthday. The show is now the world’s longest running American musical.
Angela Thomas
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