Lauren Oakley, the professional dancer from Strictly Come Dancing, is set to take the lead as Roxie Hart in the 2027 Chicago UK tour, WhatsOnStage.com reports. It marks her musical theatre debut. Adam Garcia has been cast opposite her as Billy Flynn, and the tour kicks off at New Wimbledon Theatre on 5 February 2027. The full cast list and venue dates were released together.

Mica Paris and Sam Bailey will share the part of Mama Morton at selected venues. Charlotte Gooch has been cast as Velma Kelly, while Jonathan Dryden Taylor plays Amos Hart. R. Leonard takes on Mary Sunshine, and that role is a professional debut for Leonard.

Who else is in the company?

Fifteen more performers complete the company: 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.

What is Chicago about?

The show is set in 1920s Chicago. Roxie Hart is a housewife and nightclub dancer who kills her lover and hires the criminal lawyer Billy Flynn to avoid a conviction. Once she is locked up, she competes for public attention with fellow inmate Velma Kelly.

The score is 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. Its 1996 Broadway revival is the longest-running revival in Broadway history, and the production is marking 30 years on Broadway.

The story began as a play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse wrote the book, Kander composed the music and Ebb wrote the lyrics. For the 1996 Broadway revival, Ann Reinking choreographed in the style of Fosse, Walter Bobbie directed, and Barry and Fran Weissler produced.

Where does the tour visit?

The tour opens at New Wimbledon Theatre from 5 to 13 February 2027, then heads to Theatre Royal Plymouth, Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Sheffield Lyceum, Liverpool Empire, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, with the English and Welsh leg running into early April. Later stops include Glasgow King’s Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen, Manchester Opera House, Grand Opera House in York, Blackpool Opera House, Nottingham Concert Hall, Alhambra Theatre in Bradford and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin, which runs from 29 June to 10 July.

The middle of the schedule runs from Southend Cliffs Pavilion and Eastbourne Congress Theatre through Birmingham Hippodrome, Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal Brighton, Grand Opera House Belfast, Bristol Hippodrome, Milton Keynes Theatre and Hall for Cornwall in Truro. The autumn leg includes New Theatre Oxford, Hull New Theatre, Venue Cymru in Llandudno, Sunderland Empire, Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Woking Theatre, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent. The listed dates end with Edinburgh Playhouse from 23 to 27 November. Most stops run for around a week.

Who plays Mama Morton, and when?

Mica Paris plays Mama Morton at the first venues through to Brighton, with Sam Bailey taking over in Manchester. The two share the role in Birmingham: Bailey appears from 27 to 31 July and Paris from 3 to 7 August. Paris then returns for Norwich, Brighton and Belfast, and Bailey resumes the part in Bristol.

What happens next?

Casting for Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn at later venues has not yet been announced, according to WhatsOnStage.com. Further dates are also still to be announced. Together, the cast and schedule give fans a clear picture of the tour ahead of its February opening.

Quick answers

When does the Chicago UK tour open?
The tour opens at New Wimbledon Theatre on 5 February 2027, according to WhatsOnStage.com, and runs there until 13 February.

Who plays Billy Flynn in the Chicago UK tour?
Adam Garcia plays Billy Flynn, starring alongside Lauren Oakley as Roxie Hart.

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Source: WhatsOnStage.com