Erika Jayne, of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and 2007 dance hit “Roller Coaster” fame, returns to the Broadway production of Chicago January 20, and she's ready to step back into Roxie Hart's silver shoes.
Jayne, who previously played a limited run in winter 2020 at the Ambassador Theatre, will again play the merry murderess for three weeks through February 9, 2025. Her original run was cut short by the COVID-19 shutdown.
"I think my relationship with Roxie Hart then and now...she's even more solidified," says Jayne, whose own legal troubles have been highly publicized over the years. "I mean, look, I've gone through some really interesting personal things in the last five years that may or may not sort of mirror Roxie's legal journey. I definitely had a lot of experience in the law...my Roxie is probably going to be a little bit tougher, [with] even more dirt under her nails this time."
Between her real-world experience and having familiarizing herself with the show's material for her first run, Jayne says she's ready to have fun on stage.
"This time I want to enjoy it," she says. "I wanted to nail it down the first time, now I feel like I can go back and really sort of live in the part, and live through the music, and through the choreography."
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In addition to Real Housewives, Jayne's television credits include Dancing With the Stars, The Young and the Restless, and Lip Sync Battle.
Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne
The Broadway cast currently features Bianca Marroquín as Roxie Hart, Kimberly Marable as Velma Kelly, Max von Essen as Billy Flynn, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Matron “Mama” Morton, Greg Hildreth as Amos Hart, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.
The revival of Chicago began life as one of the three annual Encores! presentations offered by City Center. The musical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in November 14, 1996, where it remained through February 1997. The musical transferred to the Shubert Theatre, and played that house through January 26, 2003. The revival reopened at the Ambassador Theatre January 29 that year.
Currently celebrating its 29th year on Broadway, Chicago also hit many milestones in 2024, including 35,000 performances worldwide. Chicago has played in 38 countries including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Sweden, Argentina, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Italy, Denmark, Holland, Spain, France, South Korea, and more, in over 525 cities, and seen by more than 34 million people worldwide.
READ: How the Chicago Costumes Have Evolved Over 25 Years
With a book by the late Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago features direction by Walter Bobbie, choreography by the late Ann Reinking, set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound design by Scott Lehrer, and casting by Duncan Stewart of ARC Casting.
The current production, produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 1997 as well as awards for actors Bebe Neuwirth and James Naughton, director Bobbie, lighting designer Billington, and Reinking. The original production was directed and choreographed by the late Fosse.
Visit ChicagoTheMusical.com.
