Kelly Osbourne as Mama Morton
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Kelly Osbourne Extends Chicago Sentence by Week

Kelly Osbourne, who last month confirmed that she’ll be making her professional stage debut in the West End production of Chicago on 10 September (See News, 30 Jul 2007), has now extended her run by an additional week. The daughter of Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne will now appear in the Kander and Ebb musical at the Cambridge Theatre for eight weeks until 3 November 2007.

Osbourne plays prison matron Mama Morton, the murderesses’ dodgy-dealing mother hen, traditionally taken by a much older actress. At just 22, she’s believed to be the youngest person to be cast in the supporting role, currently performed by Susie McKenna in the West End. Following her stint in London, Osbourne is tipped to make her US stage debut in the Broadway production of Chicago.

Since finding fame on MTV reality show The Osbournes, with her parents and brother Jack, Kelly Osbourne (pictured as Mama Morton) has carved out her own solo career as an actor, presenter and singer. She’s released two albums - Shut Up and Sleeping in the Nothing - and recorded the Black Sabbath duet “Changes” with her father. Her other TV credits include Project Catwalk, Turning Japanese and I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here … Now!.

When she joins the West End musical, Chicago will also feature company veterans Josefina Gabrielle and Annette McLaughlin as Roxie and Velma, and briefly returning to the role of Amos Hart, Olivier Award winner Clive Rowe. There’s no confirmation yet as to who will play Billy Flynn during Osbourne’s engagement. Former Blue boyband star Duncan James is due to conclude his extended season as the superslick lawyer on 8 September (See News, 19 Jul 2007).

The current revival of Chicago opened at the Cambridge Theatre (where the musical’s original London production ran for 603 performances from April 1979) on 28 April 2006, after eight-and-a-half years at the Adelphi Theatre on the Strand. It won the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production as well as the 1998 Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.

Kander and Ebb’s 1975 musical is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The current stage revival, which transferred from Broadway, is directed by Walter Bobbie and designed by John Lee Beatty, with choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse.

- by Tom Atkins & Terri Paddock

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