"Chicago" cast changes from 18 April

"Chicago" cast changes from 18 April

Cast changes in Chicago from 18 April 2006 includes: Bonnie Langford (Roxie Hart ), Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly), Luca Barbareschi (Billy Flynn), and X Factor's Brenda Edwards (Mama Morton). Victor McGuire will continue to play 'Amos Hart'

Bonnie Langford's last major west end appearance was "Sweet Charity" at the Victoria Palace in 1998. She has recently been seen on ITV's "Dancing on Ice".

Amra-Faye Wright returns to London direct from Broadway, where she has been starring as 'Velma Kelly', a role she played at the Adelphi Theatre for a 4-month season at the end of 2005 and also in the first UK national tour and in the original South African production.

Luca Barbareschi played the role of 'Billy Flynn' in the Italian tour of "CHICAGO". A television, film and theatre star in Italy, he played 'Salieri' in Roman Polanski production of Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus" in Italy. He was recently awarded the Silver Medal for Culture and Art by the President of the Italian Republic and the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Brenda Edwards makes her London stage debut in "CHICAGO", having recently been the final woman in "The X Factor" on ITV1, and coming fourth in the overall competition.

Chicago, which opened at the Adelphi Theatre 18 Nov 1997, following previews from 27 Oct 1997, will end its run at the Adelphi theatre on 22 April 2006. It will then re-open at the Cambridge Theatre on 28 April 2006.

The Cambridge Theatre was the London home of Chicago, when the first production of the show opened there on 10 April 1979, running for 603 performances. Chicago became the longest running production ever to play at the Adelphi Theatre on 17 October 2005, replacing the previous record holder "Me and My Girl", which had run for 3,303 performances.

Chicago, is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Scenic design is by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting by Ken Billington and sound by Rick Clarke. Musical supervision is by Rob Fisher and musical direction by Gareth Valentine. It is choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and directed by Walter Bobbie.

The musical concerns Roxie, a chorus girl who has murdered her lover but manages to get acquitted with the help of sleazy lawyer.