Chicago will return to Broadway just in time for its 25th anniversary: The musical is set to reopen at the Ambassador Theatre on Tuesday, September 14.
The Kander-Ebb-Fosse musical becomes the third Broadway production to set its reopening since New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that theaters could reopen in September at 100% capacity. Producers Barry & Fran Weissler announced today that tickets are now on sale for the Tony Award-winning Chicago.
As with The Phantom of the Opera and Six – the two musicals that announced their Fall returns earlier this week – the reopening of Chicago is subject to the approval of the NY State Department of Health and the Governor.
In their announcement today, the Weisslers noted, “The approval of the Department of Health and the Governor will be based on the continuing growth of the fully vaccinated population, coupled with an ongoing decline in total Covid 19 cases and positivity rates. The Department of Health and the Governor will review and approve health protocols in the theatre established by the theatre owner to assure that the highest safety standards are in place, as communicated through the theatre owners.”
Cuomo indicated this week that full-capacity performances will depend on venues requiring proof of Covid vaccinations or negative test results. Masks could also be required.
Directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Ann Reinking, Chicago features music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The production won six 1997 Tony Awards (including Best Musical Revival) and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording.
Chicago is also playing a limited engagement through July 18 at the Daesung D-Cube Arts Center in Seoul, South Korea, and a UK tour launches this September in Glasgow. Additional productions are planned for 2022 in Brazil and China.
The production features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer.
Set in the 1920s, Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. To avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate Velma Kelly by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines.
Casting was not announced for the Broadway reopening.