Brenda Edwards cast as Mama Morton in Chicago tour

Brenda Edwards will re-join the cast of Chicago from next week, it has been announced.

Edwards (Hairspray, Carousel) will appear as Mama Morton at Sunderland Empire (2 to 4 June), Cardiff New Theatre (20 to 25 June), Winter Gardens Blackpool (28 June to 2 July), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (5 to 9 July), Norwich Theatre Royal (11 to 16 July) and New Theatre Oxford (18 to 23 July).

Earlier this week it was revealed that Gemma Collins would not be taking part in the tour, with her first date initially expected to be 31 May.

Lee Mead will appear as Billy Flynn, Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly, Jamie Baughan as Amos Hart and B E Wong as Mary Sunshine.

The cast is completed by Ishmail Aaron, Michelle Andrews, Gabby Antrobus, Delycia Belgrave, Joel Benjamin, Tanisha-Mae Brown, Daniel Clift, Callum Fitzgerald, Emily Goodenough, Billie Hardy, Aaron Jenkins, Liam Marcellino, Theo Reece, Hollie Jane Stephens and Harrison Wilde.

The hit 1996 production of Kander and Ebb's iconic musical, choreographed by Ann Reinking (recreated by Gary Chryst) in the style of Bob Fosse with direction by Walter Bobbie (recreated by Stacey Haynes), ran in the West End at the Phoenix Theatre in 2018.

The production has design by John Lee Beatty, costume by William Ivey Long, lighting by Ken Billington, original sound design by Rick Clarke, re-creation of original sound design by Matt Grounds, script adaptation by David Thompson, orchestrations by Ralph Burns, musical supervision by Ian Townsend, musical direction by Andrew Hilton and dance music arrangements by Peter Howard.

The iconic show follows Roxie, a woman who murders her lover but tries to escape the wrath of the law. The piece is the winner of six Tony Awards, and has played in 36 countries worldwide. Numbers include "Razzle Dazzle", "Cell Block Tango", and "All That Jazz".