Ute Lemper
Tweet

Original Stars Reunite for Chicago's Tenth Birthday

The West End production of Chicago will celebrate a “decade of decadence” with a special one-off charity gala performance reuniting the show’s original stars Ruthie Henshall, Henry Goodman and German Ute Lemper (pictured), who won a Best Actress in a Musical Olivier for her turn as Velma Kelly.

The performance, on 5 December 2007 at the Cambridge Theatre, will be held in aid of Breast Cancer Haven and the Breast Health Institute in the presence of the evening’s honorary patrons Elizabeth Hurley, Mr and Mrs Julian Kitchener-Fellowes and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Other stars who’ve appeared in the Kander and Ebb musical over the past ten years – including Denise Van Outen, Brenda Edwards, Jennifer Ellison, Duncan James and Frances Ruffelle will also take part.

This production 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. To date, it has played to an audience of over 4.5 million people at more than 4,000 performances. Amongst its accolades are the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and the 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.

Chicago is produced in London by Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler, who are supporting the tenth birthday gala, sponsored by Gran Centenario. The special performance will commence at 6.30pm and will be followed by a black tie reception.

- by Terri Paddock

Related Content