The staging of the John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse musical will be presented July 26-28. Casting and additional creative team members will be announced closer to the event. In recent years, the Bowl has presented stagings of Hairspray, Rent, Guys and Dolls, Les Miserables and more.
In a statement Shields said, “I have been inspired by working with Rob Fisher on many projects and his belief in me and my talent has been a true blessing. He has asked more of me than any other Musical Director and it is why I have achieved more than I ever dreamt possible. My passion for Chicago began decades ago, purely as a fan. Years later, after having a dance session with Annie Reinking, she asked me to join the Chicago company.
"I will never forget her endorsement of me. I have performed in the show in London and on Broadway and get excited by the score from the moment the Overture begins. I have repeatedly been surprised by how current the piece remains and how relevant the themes are. The score, the choreography and the book are, I believe, some of the best and most enduring ever. I am honored to have asked to make my directorial debut on such an important musical, and one that is so dear to my heart.”
Rob Fisher added, “I have worked with Brooke a number of times as a singer and actress and have been dazzled by her constant growth, sometimes on the steepest possible learning curve. Her perceptions into human relationships are deeply insightful, she is as articulate as you could ever want a Princeton graduate to be, and she is humble and kind. You rarely find this combination of qualities in a director and that’s why I think she will make a great one.
"After spending 17 years teaching Chicago around the world, I still love the show and the score. I’m not sure there is anything else I would feel that way about, certainly no other musical. The songs and their arrangements are great and should explode from the stage into the Bowl!” For more information visit Hollywoodbowl.com.
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The Broadway revival of Chicago began life as one of the three annual Encores! presentations offered by City Center. The musical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in November 1996 where it remained through February 1997. The musical transferred to the Shubert Theatre on Feb. 11, 1997, and played that house through Jan. 26, 2003. The revival reopened at the Ambassador Theatre, its current home, on Jan. 29, 2003. Read more about the revival in the Playbill Vault.
Chicago won the Tony Award 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. The modern classic has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and book by Ebb and Fosse.
