Hardin will begin a seven-week stint as Roxie Hart Dec. 29 at the Ambassador Theatre. She is scheduled to play the merry murderess through Feb. 12, 2009.

An actress, singer and songwriter, Melora Hardin's numerous screen credits include "The Office," "The Comebacks," "Monk," "Me, Mom, Dad, and Her," "Gilmore Girls," "Without a Trace," "Thank You for Smoking," "Boston Legal," "Judging Amy," "Once and Again," "Certain Guys," "Erasable You," "Absolute Power," "Renegade," "Touched By an Angel" and "Friends." Hardin was seen this past summer as Fantine in the Hollywood Bowl's Les Misérables in Concert. She will be seen in April 2009 in the Zac Efron film "Seventeen Again" and in "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

Chicago currently features Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie Hart, Brenda Braxton as Velma Kelly, Tom Hewitt as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

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.

Chicago plays the Ambassador Theatre, located at 215 West 49th Street.

The long-running musical will celebrate its 12th anniversary and its 5,000th performance on Broadway Nov. 14.

Visit www.chicagothemusical.com for additional information.