Chicago continues to bump and grind as the hottest show of the season, but Ann Reinking had been on the sidelines, suffering a sprained lower back and inflamed nerve endings. She'd been out since March 18, but the good news is she returned to the show Sunday, April 13. Reinking's publicist, Lee Gross, says the doctors have put the dancer/choreographer/actress on a limited, wait-and-see schedule to mark her progress. Therefore, Reinking will perform on Saturday evenings, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an alternate taking her place at other performances. This will continue indefinitely until Reinking is well enough to go back to a full schedule.

Unconfirmed rumors had popped up that Reinking would leave the show to be replaced by A Chorus Line's Donna McKechnie or Into The Woods' Bernadette Peters, but Clint Bond of the Pete Sanders office said in early April, "Nobody's taking over for Ann. She's in the show, at least until summer. When she's out, her understudy's in the role."

Until then, Nancy Hess is filling in for the central role of Roxie Hart, the glamorous murderess. Co-starring in the production are Joel Grey, Bebe Neuwirth, James Naughton and Marcia Lewis.

A variety of ailments and offstage problems, including the death of her mother, have kept Reinking in and out of the show since its fall 1996 transfer to Broadway. The most recent injury, reportedly suffered on stage, has kept her out of the show since at least March 18.

For tickets and information on Chicago at the Shubert Theatre, call (212) 239-6200. You can also order tickets on Playbill On-Line.