Denise Van Outen will take on the role of Velma Kelly in the hit revival of Chicago at London’s Phoenix Theatre later this month.
The actress and television presenter who previously played Roxie Hart in the West End and Broadway productions of the show, will return to Cook County Jail as Kelly from 24 September until 17 November.
Last seen in Chicago in the West End in 2002, Van Outen’s stage credits also include Tell Me On a Sunday, Legally Blonde, Rent and her well-received one-woman show Some Girl I Used To Know.
Taking over the role of Velma Kelly from current star Josefina Gabrielle, Van Outen will join Alexandra Burke who stepped into the role of Roxie Hart last month, Mazz Murray (Mama Morton), and Paul Rider (Amos Hart). Duncan James is due to take over as Billy Flynn from Monday 10 September.
Following on from a successful UK and international tour and after a five and half year absence from London, the new production – based on the 1996 Broadway revival directed by Walter Bobbie with choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler – is currently booking until 5 January 2019.
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 celebrated its 21st birthday in 2017. The show is now the world’s longest-running American musical.
Angela Thomas
Tickets for the West End production of Chicago are available HERE.
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