The Broadway company of Chicago welcomes two new stars June 4, veteran film actor George Hamilton and recent Rockwell star Stephanie Pope.
Hamilton, who can currently be seen in Woody Allen's "The Hollywood Ending," made his Broadway debut in Kander and Ebb's Chicago in Nov. 2001, and now returns to the role of Billy Flynn opposite Stephanie Pope's Velma Kelly, a role the actress-singer played on tour for nearly two years. Hamilton is scheduled to star in the Kander and Ebb classic through July 28, and Pope will remain with the production through Sept. 15. A spokesman for the show also confirmed that Bianca Marroquin, a star of the Mexico City production of Chicago, will make her Broadway debut in that musical on June 18 and will play Roxie Hart through July 7; Belle Calaway currently portrays Roxie.
Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Marroquin began her career in Mexico City in the ensemble of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. For her portrayal of Roxie Hart in the Mexico City mounting, Marroquin received five awards from the Mexican Critics Association including New Revelation and Best Actress. Her other theatrical credits include Rent and The Phantom of the Opera. Marroquin joins a long list of foreign stars who have been a part of the Broadway company of Chicago: London's Ruthie Henshall and Denise Van Outen, Germany's Ute Lemper, Sweden's Petra Neilsen and Austria's Anna Montanaro.
A star of feature films, George Hamilton will soon be seen opposite Joe Mantegna and Danny Aiello in "Off Key." Among his other movie credits are "The Godfather Part III," "Doc Hollywood," "Love at First Bite" and "Zorro, the Gay Blade." Hamilton's theatrical credits include Love Letters, The Philadelphia Story, Barefoot in the Park and Gigi.
On Broadway Stephanie Pope has been seen in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly's Last Jam, The Will Rogers Follies, Sweet Charity, Big Deal and the City Center Encores! presentation of The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936. Her television appearances include roles in "One Life to Live," "The Cosby Mysteries" and "In Living Color." The recipient of a Drama-Logue and a Monarch Award, Pope recently released her solo debut CD, "Now's the Time to Fall in Love." Bob Fosse, John Kander and Fred Ebb's Chicago, presented by Barry and Fran Weissler, plays the Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th Street. It 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. For ticket information, call (212) 239-6200.
