Cast for Chicago tour announced, including Strictly Come Dancing’s Lauren Oakley

Lauren Oakley will make her musical theatre debut as Roxie Hart in the 2027 UK and Ireland tour of Chicago, starring alongside Adam Garcia as Billy Flynn.

The Strictly Come Dancing professional will lead the cast from 5 February 2027 at New Wimbledon Theatre, with Mica Paris and Sam Bailey sharing the role of Mama Morton at selected venues.

The cast also includes Charlotte Gooch as Velma Kelly, Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Amos Hart and R. Leonard as Mary Sunshine. Leonard will make their professional debut in the production.

Completing the company are Bethany Adamson, Kofi Aidoo-Appiah, Gabby Antrobus, Jamie Armour, Talia Duff, Harvey Fawcett, Marie Finlayson, Sergio Giacomelli, Sam Holden, Aoife Kenny, Harrison Langham, Oliver Loades, Will Markendale, Gabrielle Parker, and Tanith Williams.

The production is set in 1920s Chicago and follows Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her lover and hires criminal lawyer Billy Flynn to avoid conviction. She finds herself competing for public attention with fellow inmate Velma Kelly.

Chicago features a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with songs including “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango” and “All That Jazz”. The musical has won six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy. The current Broadway revival opened in 1996 and is the longest-running revival in Broadway history. The production is celebrating 30 years on Broadway.

Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, the musical has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by Kander and lyrics by Ebb. The 1996 Broadway revival was choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.

The tour opens at New Wimbledon Theatre from 5 to 13 February 2027, before visiting Theatre Royal Plymouth (16 to 20 February), Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (22 to 27 February), Sheffield Lyceum (2 to 6 March), Liverpool Empire (24 to 27 March), Newcastle Theatre Royal (29 March to 3 April) and Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (6 to 10 April).

Further dates include Glasgow King’s Theatre (10 to 15 May), His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen (18 to 22 May), Manchester Opera House (25 to 29 May), Grand Opera House in York (31 May to 5 June), Blackpool Opera House (8 to 12 June), Nottingham Concert Hall (14 to 19 June), Alhambra Theatre in Bradford (21 to 26 June) and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin (29 June to 10 July).

The production will then visit Southend Cliffs Pavilion (13 to 17 July), Eastbourne Congress Theatre (19 to 25 July), Birmingham Hippodrome (27 July to 7 August), Norwich Theatre Royal (9 to 14 August), Theatre Royal Brighton (16 to 21 August), Grand Opera House Belfast (23 to 28 August), Bristol Hippodrome (31 August to 4 September), Milton Keynes Theatre (6 to 11 September), Hall for Cornwall in Truro (13 to 18 September), New Theatre Oxford (20 to 25 September), Hull New Theatre (27 September to 2 October), Venue Cymru in Llandudno (4 to 9 October), Sunderland Empire (11 to 16 October), Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury (18 to 23 October), Orchard Theatre in Dartford (25 to 30 October), Woking Theatre (1 to 6 November), Everyman Theatre Cheltenham (8 to 13 November), Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent (15 to 20 November) and Edinburgh Playhouse (23 to 27 November).

Paris will play Mama Morton at the first venues through to Brighton, with Bailey taking over in Manchester. The two performers will share the role at Birmingham, with Bailey appearing from 27 to 31 July and Paris from 3 to 7 August. Paris will then return for Norwich, Brighton and Belfast, before Bailey resumes the role in Bristol.

Casting for Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn at later venues is yet to be announced. Further dates are also to be announced.