In Lieu of Sieber, Jeff McCarthy Will Step Into Chicago as Billy Flynn

By Kenneth Jones
and Andrew Gans
01 Mar 2011

Jeff McCarthy
Jeff McCarthy
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Owing to Christopher Sieber's sudden casting to replace Jeffrey Tambor as Georges in Broadway's La Cage aux Folles, Jeff McCarthy will take the role that Sieber was previously announced for — Billy Flynn in Broadway's Chicago, March 8-25.

This will mark McCarthy's third stint with Chicago. He previously played Billy Flynn in 2007 and 2008.

It was announced on March 1 that Sieber was released from his Chicago contract at the Ambassador Theatre in order to begin rehearsals for La Cage aux Folles at the Longacre. (Fran and Barry Weissler are producers of both productions, as it turns out.) See the La Cage casting story here.

McCarthy's Broadway credits include The Pirate Queen (Dubdhara), Urinetown (Lockstock), Side Show (Terry), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), Smile (Big Bob), Zorba (Niko) and Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King).

The revival of Chicago began life as one of the three annual Encores! concert 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.

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 Ambassador Theatre is located at 219 West 49th Street. Visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.