"Razzle Dazzle": Jerry Springer Joins Broadway's Chicago Aug. 18

By Andrew Gans
18 Aug 2009

Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer

Talk-show host Jerry Springer, who recently played a limited run in the London company of Kander and Ebb's Chicago, joins the cast of the Broadway production of that Tony-winning revival Aug. 18 at the Ambassador Theatre.

Springer will play slick lawyer Billy Flynn, the role created in this revival by Tony winner James Naughton, through Sept. 6. The former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant will not play Mondays, Aug. 24 and 31.

Springer joins a cast that currently includes Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Art, Roz Ryan as Matron "Mama" Morton and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

As previously reported, Springer will also play Flynn Sept. 8-13 at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre and Sept. 15-20 at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center's Academy of Music.

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.

Jerry Springer made his Broadway debut as the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show. He is also immortalized in Jerry Springer — The Opera, which was seen in London and at New York's Carnegie Hall.

Chicago plays the Ambassador Theatre, located at 219 West 49th Street.

The long-running musical celebrated its 12th anniversary and its 5,000th performance on Broadway Nov. 14, 2008.

Visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.