The long-gestating 2nd national tour of Chiago is set to strut its stuff beginning Dec. 12.
Cities covered by the new tour will include Tampa, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, St. Louis, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Casting for the "Velma" Company (as the 2nd company has been christened) has yet to be announced.
The 1st national tour (the "Roxie" Company) kicked off at Cincinnati's Aronoff Center Mar. 25 and stars Charlotte D'Amboise, Jasmine Guy and Obba Babatunde. Just wrapping up a lengthy stand in its namesake city, the tour is scheduled to sizzle in such cities as Boston, Toronto, and Seattle in the next year.
The smash $3 million Broadway revival of the Kander and Ebb musical has been a hot ticket since opening in the autumn, and has been selling out steadily since late Nov. 1996. This production of Chicago, directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Reinking ("in the style of Bob Fosse") originated as a four-performance concert staging in May at City Center's Encores! series devoted to classic musical scores.
Here are tour schedules for the "Roxie" and "Velma" companies. Dates are tentative and subject to change. Roxie Company
Chicago - Shubert Theatre - July 16 - Oct. 5
East Lansing - Wharton Center - Oct. 7-12
Buffalo - Shea's Performing Arts Center - Oct. 14-19
Hartford - Bushnell - Oct 21-26
Atlanta - Fox - Oct 28-Nov. 2
Miami - Jackie Gleason - Nov. 4-9
Ft. Lauderdale - Broward Center - Nov. 11-23
Louisville - Kentucky Center - Nov. 25-30
Boston - Colonial - Dec. 3-Feb. 15
Toronto - Princess of Wales - Feb 17-Apr. 25
Providence - Providence Performing Arts Center - Apr. 28-May 3
Cleveland - Palace - May 5-17
Denver - Buell - May 26-June 14
Seattle - Paramount - June 16-July
Velma Company
Ft. Myers - Barbara B. Mann - Dec. 12-14
Tampa - Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center - Dec. 16-28
Richmond - Carpenter Center - Dec. 31- Jan. 4/98
Pittsburgh - TBA - Jan. 6-18
Grand Rapids - Devos Hall - Jan 20-25
Nashville - Tennessee Performing Arts Center - Jan. 27-Feb. 1
Baltimore - Mechanic - Feb. 3-15
New Haven - Shubert - Feb. 17-Mar. 1
St. Louis - Fox - Mar. 3-8
Minneapolis - TBA - Mar. 10-29
New Orleans - Saenger - Mar. 31-Apr. 5
Dallas - TBA - Apr. 7-12
Tempe - Gammage - Apr. 14-19
Sacramento - TBA - Apr. 21-26
Los Angeles - Ahmanson - Apr. 28-July 5
Costa Mesa - Orange County Performing Arts Center - July 7-12