Cuba Gooding Jr to star in Chicago in the West End

Initial casting has been announced for the West End revival of Chicago, which opens at the Phoenix Theatre in March.

Best known for his roles on screen including A Few Good Men and Jerry Maguire – for which he won an Academy Award – Cuba Gooding Jr will make his British stage and musical debut as lawyer Billy Flynn. Further casting is yet to be announced.

Featuring songs including "Razzle Dazzle", "We Both Reached For The Gun" and "Cell Block Tango", the West End run will be based on the UK and internationally touring production.

The show first opened on Broadway in 1975, and has been revived a number of times over the last four decades, including a 15-year Olivier Award-winning revival run from 1997 which closed in 2012. It is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

It tells the story of a young woman, Roxie, who is incarcerated and trialled for murdering a man in her bedroom.

The musical was adapted into a six-time Academy Award-winning film in 2002, starring Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It is also currently running on Broadway, where it recently celebrated its 21st birthday.

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Chicago opens at the Phoenix Theatre on 26 March 2018.