Marilu Henner, star of TV's "Taxi" and a veteran of Broadway's Chicago, will step into the role of Roxie Hart in the Las Vegas staging of Chicago July 6-Aug. 22, replacing Chita Rivera.

Rivera left July 4 to prepare for her stint as Roxie in the London company. She bows at the Adelphi Theatre Aug. 16,with Valarie Pettiford as her co-star.

Ben Vereen and Marcia Lewis also star in the Las Vegas production, at the 1,750-seat Mandalay Bay Theatre.

Henner appeared as Roxie on Broadway in spring 1997, replacing Ann Reinking, who originated the role in -- and choreographed -- the smash revival. Henner might be best known for her role as Elaine in TV's "Taxi," and appeared on Broadway in Over Here!

Henner is also a popular self-help health author whose books include "The 30-Day Total Makeover" and "Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover." *

Dave Kirvin of Mandalay Bay told Playbill On-Line earlier in 1999 that Chicago is a rare occasion for Vegas: Although uncut national tours such as Stomp have played the desert resort town, sit-down stagings of musicals are usually trimmed-down, tourist-and-gambler friendly productions, like the (now-closed) 90-minute Starlight Express at the Hilton, or in-house casino versions of classic musical comedies.

Chicago is a replica of the full Broadway revival production. The Mandalay venue offers table seating and traditional theatre seating and is built, for future productions, for "major" shows, Kirvin said.

The Weisslers, producers of the Broadway Chicago and its spinoff tours, produce the Vegas stand in association with Warren Trepp and Mandalay Bay.

For ticket information, call (702) 474-4000 or (877) 632-7400. The top ticket price at Mandalay Bay is $82.50.