Pose and American Horror Story star Angelica Ross made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the Tony-winning revival of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre September 12, the same day the production welcomed Brandon Victor Dixon and Amra-Faye Wright.
Tony-winning producer and Tony-nominated actor Dixon (Shuffle Along…, The Color Purple, Hamilton) stepped into the role of Billy Flynn, and Chicago veteran Wright returned to the part of Velma Kelly. Dixon, Wright, and Ross succeeded Erich Bergen, Lana Gordon, and Charlotte d'Amboise, respectively.
Ross is playing an eight-week limited engagement through November 6. She joins a small group of openly Trans performers to play principals on Broadway, including Wicked's Alexandra Billings, A Strange Loop's L Morgan Lee, Head Over Heels' Peppermint, and Straight White Men's Kate Bornstein.
Watch Ross take her first Broadway curtain call in the video above.
The current cast of Chicago also features Charity Angél Dawson as Matron “Mama” Morton, Evan Harrington as Amos Hart, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.
The ensemble includes David Bushman, Jennifer Dunne, Jessica Ernest, Jeff Gorti, Arian Keddell, Mary Claire King, Joseph London, Barrett Martin, Sharon Moore, Drew Nellessen, Celina Nightengale, Brian O'Brien, Denny Paschall, Jermaine R. Rembert, Rachel Shur, Michael Scirrotto, Christine Cornish Smith, and Brian Spitulnik.
READ: Japan's Ryoko Yonekura Will Return to Broadway's Chicago This Fall
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.
Since its debut in 1996, Chicago has played in 36 countries and been seen by 33 million people worldwide. It is now the second-longest running show in Broadway history (after The Phantom of the Opera).
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 Stewart/Whitley.
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.
