Full casting has been announced for the international award-winning musical CHICAGO, which opens a national tour at the New Theatre Oxford on Friday 12 February 2016. Joining the previously announced John Partridge as Billy Flynn, Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart and Sam Bailey as Mama Morton will be Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Neil Ditt as Amos Hart and A.D. Richardson as Mary Sunshine. Tour schedule below with further dates to be announced. www.chicagotour.co.uk
The rest of the company includes Daniele Arbisi, Nicola Coates, Frances Dee, Adam Denman, Francis Foreman, Waylon Jacobs, Justin-Lee Jones, Dann Kharsa, Chelsea Labadini, Ellie Mitchell, Peter Nash, Helen Siveter, Kerry Spark, Lindsey Tierney and Emily Warner.
John Partridge is currently a housemate in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5. He is probably best known for playing the role of Christian Clarke in EastEnders. His many musical theatre credits include Rum Tum Tugger in Cats in the West End, on tour and the official film of the show, John in Miss Saigon on the first UK national tour and most recently Zach in A Chorus Line at the London Palladium. John was also a judge on BBC1’s Over the Rainbow, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search to find a Dorothy for the musical The Wizard of Oz. Hayley Tamaddon has just finished playing Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street. She also played Del Dingle in Emmerdale. Her numerous theatre credits include The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot and Janet in The Rocky Horror Show. Hayley also won the 5th series of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice. Sam Bailey worked as a prison officer at HM Prison Gartree for three years until 2013. At the end of that year Sam won the tenth series of The X Factor receiving more than a million votes over the course of the final weekend. Following her win, her debut single Skyscraper was released and achieved the Christmas Number One. This was followed in 2014 with her debut album, The Power of Love, reaching number one in the album charts.
Sophie Carmen-Jones’ many West End credits including Jersey Boys, Wicked and We Will Rock You. She will also appear in the forthcoming Disney film Beauty and the Beast. Neil Ditt has appeared in many West End productions including Mary Poppins and Betty Blue Eyes. His other theatre credits include creating the role of George Mole in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at Leicester Curve and High Society and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. A.D. Richardson’s many theatre credits include the International tour of The Pirates of Penzance, the UK tour of HMS Pinafore, the RSC’s Cyrano De Bergerac and Scrooge The Musical at the New Theatre Oxford.
Based on real life events back in the roaring 1920s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and along with cell block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.
Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics) and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle. With 6 Tony, 2 Olivier, 1 Grammy, 2 Bafta and 6 Academy Awards, CHICAGO truly is “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times). A nightclub singer, a double-murderess, a smooth-talking lawyer and a cell block of sin: it would be a crime to miss it.
CHICAGO, which 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. CHICAGO is choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and directed by Walter Bobbie.
CHICAGO opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 18 November 1997 to rave reviews, winning the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Musical Production’ as well as the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for ‘Best Musical’, and immediately became a sell-out hit running for 15 years. CHICAGO is currently playing in New York where it holds the record as the longest running musical revival and also the second longest running musical in Broadway history.
CHICAGO 2016 TOUR
www.chicagotour.co.uk
FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2016
NEW THEATRE OXFORD www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford
MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY
NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre
MONDAY 29 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2016
DARTFORD ORCHARD THEATRE www.orchardtheatre.co.uk
MONDAY 7 MARCH – SATURDAY 12 MARCH 2016
SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER THEATRE www.mayflower.org.uk
MONDAY 14 MARCH – SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2016
MILTON KEYNES THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 19 March)
MONDAY 21 MARCH – SATURDAY 2 APRIL 2016
MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25 and 26 March)
MONDAY 4 APRIL – SATURDAY 9 APRIL 2016
BRADFORD ALHAMBRA www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
MONDAY 11 APRIL – SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2016
EASTBOURNE CONGRESS THEATRE www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/congress-theatre
MONDAY 25 APRIL – SATURDAY 30 APRIL 2016
PRINCESS THEATRE TORQUAY www.atgtickets.com/venues/princess-theatre-torquay
MONDAY 2 MAY – SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016
HALL FOR CORNWALL TRURO www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
WEDNESDAY 11 MAY – SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016
BORD GÁIS ENERGY THEATRE DUBLIN www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
MONDAY 23 MAY – SATURDAY 28 MAY 2016
ROYAL & DERNGATE NORTHAMPTON www.royalandderngate.co.uk
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25, 27 and 28 May)
MONDAY 30 MAY – SATURDAY 4 JUNE 2016
HAWTH THEATRE CRAWLEY www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk
MONDAY 13 JUNE – SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2016
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse
MONDAY 20 JUNE – SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016
WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE www.grandtheatre.co.uk
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25 June)
MONDAY 27 JUNE – SATURDAY 2 JULY 2016
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION www.southendtheatres.org.uk
MONDAY 4 JULY – SATURDAY 9 JULY 2016
BRISTOL HIPPODROME www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome
Photo: Dewynters
