Robyn Hurder, who created the role of Ivy Lynn in last season's new musical Smash, returns to the cast of Broadway's Chicago December 15 at the Ambassador Theatre.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical Tony nominee Hurder is again stepping into the role of Velma Kelly for a limited engagement through January 11, 2026. The Beautiful Noise star has also previously played Mona and covered the role of Roxie Hart in the Tony-winning revival. She first played Velma Kelly in March 2024.
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Hurder's other Broadway credits include Nice Work If You Can Get It, Grease, The Wedding Singer, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and she's appeared at New York City Center Encores! in A Chorus Line, The New Yorkers, and Paint Your Wagon.
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The Broadway production, currently celebrating its 29th anniversary, features Kate Baldwin as Roxie Hart, Tam Mutu as Billy Flynn, Tony winner Alex Newell as Matron “Mama” Morton, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.
The ensemble includes Zach
Bravo, David Bushman, Max Clayton, Jennifer Dunne, Jessica Ernest,
Arian Keddell, James T. Lane, Marty Lawson, Joseph London, Barrett
Martin, Sharon Moore, Drew Nellessen, Celina Nightengale, Kristen Faith
Oei, Denny Paschall, Mikayla Renfrow, Sean Samuels, and Samantha Sturm.
The revival of Chicago began life as one of the three annual Encores! presentations offered by City Center. The musical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre November 14, 1996, where it remained through February 1997. The musical transferred to the Shubert Theatre, and played that house through January 26, 2003. The revival reopened at the Ambassador Theatre January 29 that year.
Since its debut in 1996, Chicago has played in 36 countries
and been seen by 33 million people worldwide. It is now the
second-longest running show in Broadway history (after the recently
closed The Phantom of the Opera).
READ: How the Chicago Costumes Have Evolved Over 25 Years
With a book by the late Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Ebb, Chicago features direction by Walter Bobbie, choreography by the late Ann Reinking, set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound design by Scott Lehrer, and casting by ARC.
The current production, produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 1997 as well as awards for actors Bebe Neuwirth and James Naughton, director Bobbie, lighting designer Billington, and Reinking. The original production was directed and choreographed by the late Fosse.
