Press Release: Kevin Richardson's Broadway Debut
Kevin Richardson, of Backstreet Boys fame, will join the Broadway
company of Chicago on Jan. 20.
Richardson will succeed Billy Zane in the role of super-smooth lawyer
Billy Flynn. Zane's last performance in the Kander and Ebb musical is
scheduled for Jan. 19, 2003. Richardson will play the role at the
Shubert Theatre through Jan. 26 and will move with the company to the
Ambassador Theatre on Jan. 29. He is scheduled to stay with the
production through March 9. A member of the Backstreet Boys group,
whose record sales number 71 million, Kevin Richardson will be making
his Broadway debut in Chicago. He has, however, performed in regional
theatrical productions. Richardson follows another boy band star, 'N
Sync's Joey Fatone, who made his Main Stem bow on Aug. 5 in Jonathan
Larson's Rent.
Kander and Ebb's Tony-winning revival currently stars Australian
stage star Caroline O'Connor as Velma Kelly, Broadway veteran
Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie Hart, the aforementioned Billy Zane as
Billy Flynn with Rob Bartlett as Amos Hart and Roz Ryan as
Matron "Mama" Morton. The original revival cast included Bebe
Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Joel Grey, James Naughton and Marcia Lewis.
Chicago, at the Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street), won the Tony
for Best Revival of a Musical in 1997 as well as awards for actors
Bebe Neuwirth and James Naughton, director Walter Bobbie, lighting
designer Ken Billington and choreographer Ann Reinking. The original
production was directed and choreographed by the late Bob Fosse. For
ticket information, call (212) 239-6200.
