Peters Replaces Pellow in Broadway’s Chicago

By Andrew Gans
17 Mar 2003

It’s Clarke Peters, not Marti Pellow who is currently playing slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the Broadway company of Chicago.

Although Pellow — a former member of the Scottish band Wet Wet Wet who had played the role of Flynn in the West End mounting of the Kander and Ebb musical — was set to play the role on Broadway, he left the States after the musicians strike closed 18 Broadway musicals. Peters, who also played Flynn in London, has assumed the role on Broadway and is scheduled to stay with the company through March 30. A production spokesperson confirmed that Pellow will join the Broadway company at some later date.

Others in the Broadway company currently include Chicago veteran Belle Calaway as Roxie Hart, Smokey Joe’s Cafe Tony nominee Brenda Braxton as Velma Kelly, B. J. Crosby as Matron “Mama” Morton, P. J. Benjamin as Amos Hart and M. Agnes as Mary Sunshine.

Clarke Peters has portrayed Billy Flynn on Broadway and in the West End. His other Broadway credits include The Iceman Cometh and Five Guys Named Moe. Peters has also starred on the London stage in Guys and Dolls, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Passion, Despatches, Driving Miss Daisy, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Amen Corner, Little Shop of Horrors, Blues in the Night, King and Five Guys Named Moe. His screen credits include “Notting Hill,” “Outlands,” “Mona Lisa,” “Death Train” and “The Corner.”

Chicago 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.

Chicago plays Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM and Sundays at 2 and 7 PM. The Ambassador Theatre is located at 215 West 49th Street. For ticket information, call Telecharge at (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.