Stars join Chicago cast in Edinburgh
“Murder,
greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery and treachery… all those things we
hold near and dear to our hearts”… so begins the international award-winning
musical CHICAGO, which comes to the Edinburgh Playhouse on Monday
13 – Saturday 18 June 2016 starring John Partridge as
Billy Flynn, Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart and Sam Bailey as
Mama Morton. Tickets go on sale to ATG Theatre Card holders on Monday
23rd November and general onsale is on Wednesday
25th November.
John Partridge 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 inMiss 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.
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.
The 2016
UK National Tour of CHICAGO will be produced by David Ian and
Michael Watt in association with the Broadway producers Barry and Fran
Weissler.
