FAYE BROOKES, BRENDA EDWARDS and KEVIN CLIFTON to star in the CHICAGO UK and Ireland Tour

DAVID IAN FOR CROSSROADS LIVE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

BARRY AND FRAN WEISSLER

ANNOUNCE STAR CASTING FOR THE

UK AND IRELAND TOUR

OF

THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING

FAYE BROOKES TO STAR AS ‘ROXIE HART’

BRENDA EDWARDS AS ‘MAMA MORTON’ AND

KEVIN CLIFTON AS ‘BILLY FLYNN’

WITH

DJALENGA SCOTT AS ‘VELMA KELLY’

JOSHUA LLOYD AS ‘AMOS HART’

AND JORDAN LEE DAVIES AS ‘MARY SUNSHINE’

David Ian for Crossroads Live in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce star casting for the 2024/2025 UK and Ireland tour of the multi-awarding winning CHICAGO, opening at Milton Keynes Theatre from 12 October 2024.

Stage and soap star Faye Brookes and much-loved performer and TV personality Brenda Edwards return to the stage as Roxie Hart and Mama Morton respectively. They are joined by Strictly Come Dancing favourite Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn. Leading West End talent Djalenga Scott also returns to the role of Velma Kelly, starring alongside Joshua Lloyd as Amos Hart and Jordan Lee Davies as Mary Sunshine.

The cast is completed by Bethany Adamson, Victoria Anderson, Josh Crowther, Joe Dale, Jessica Keable, Robin Kent, Annabelle Laing, Jacob McLay Reid, Jonathan Milton, George Olney, Oliver Ramsdale, Elly Shaw, Lucy Anne Stacey, Matthew Sweet and Ria Tanaka.        

Faye Brookes returns to the role of Roxie Hart, having previously played her to acclaim in the 2021 UK and Ireland tour. She is best known for her role as Kate Connor in ITV’s Coronation Street, for which she won a National Television Award. Her theatre credits include Fran in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Princess Fiona in Shrek and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, all on national tour, Ann/Edna in That Day We Sang directed by Victoria Wood at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, Liesl in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Frenchy in Grease at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre. Faye’s was runner up on ITV’s Dancing On Ice in 2021, her other TV credits include Agnes Franklin in Our Zoo and Helena in Atlantis, both for the BBC.

Brenda Edwards gained public acclaim as a semi-finalist on The X Factor before turning her attention to the stage, making her West End debut as Mama Morton in CHICAGO, a role she recently reprised for the 2021/2022 UK and Ireland tour. Her additional theatre credits include Motormouth Maybelle in the UK tour of Hairspray, Nettie Fowler in Carousel at the London Coliseum, Killer Queen in We Will Rock You both the West End and original UK Tour and Pearl Pastor in Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall. Brenda is also a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women as well as presenting BBC1’s Songs of Praise.

Kevin Clifton is best known as a professional dancer and winner of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, competing in seven series and five finals. He was most recently seen as Hugo/Loco Chanelle the UK tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. His other theatre credits include Scott Hastings in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom, Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain at Sadler’s Wells and on tour, Stacee Jaxx in Rock Of Ageson tour, Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer at Troubadour Wembley Park, The Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds UK arena tour, Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre and Burn the Floor on Broadway, making his Broadway debut as a principal dancer.

Djalenga Scott returns to the role of Velma Kelly, having previously starred in the UK and international tours. Her West End credits include Lily St Regis in Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London and Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick Theatres. Her other credits include Anita in the national tour of West Side Story, Rizzo in Grease at Curve Leicester, Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show and Carmen in Fame, both on European tours, the US tour of Batman Live and Bombalurina in Cats at Kilworth House. Djalenga’s screen credits include Scarlett/Esme in Trapped for the BBC and Alexandra in the film I Give It A Year.

Joshua Lloyd’s theatre credits include the UK and Ireland tour of The Lion King and Choir of Man on UK and international tours.

Jordan Lee Davies most recently appeared in La Cage aux Folles at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Additional theatre credits include the original cast of Bat Out of Hell at the Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and international tour, The Book of Mormon on UK and international tour, Chess at the London Coliseum and Les Misérables at the Queens Theatre.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes the show-stopping songs “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”.  Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, CHICAGO is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history.

Since it opened in New York in 1996, CHICAGO has played in 38 countries worldwide, and been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, French, Danish, Japanese and Korean.  Worldwide it has been seen by an estimated 34 million people, grossed over $1.7 billion has played over 35,000 performances.

CHICAGO, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.  The current 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO is choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.

CHICAGO UK TOUR – 2024/2025 TOUR LISTINGS

SATURDAY 12 – SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER 2024

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 21 – SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER 2024

ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD

https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/alhambra-theatre

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 28 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2024

THEATRE ROYAL, NEWCASTLE

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 4 – SATURDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2024

PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards* as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

*Brenda Edwards will not be performing on Thursday 7 November

TUESDAY 19 – SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2024

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON

https://www.mayflower.org.uk

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart and Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton

MONDAY 25 – SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2024

STOKE REGENT THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

TUESDAY 14 – SATURDAY 18 JANUARY 2025

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN

www.aberdeenperformingarts.com

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 20 – SATURDAY 25 JANUARY 2025

EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM

www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY – SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2025

LYCEUM THEATRE, SHEFFIELD

www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

TUESDAY 4 – SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2025

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 10 – SATURDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2025

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 1 MARCH 2025

NEW THEATRE, OXFORD

www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford

Starring Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton and Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn

MONDAY 3 – SATURDAY 8 MARCH 2025

CLIFFS PAVILION, SOUTHEND

www.trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend

Casting to be announced

TUESDAY 11 – SATURDAY 15 MARCH 2025

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN

www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 17 – SATURDAY 22 MARCH 2025

GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BELFAST

www.goh.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 31 MARCH – SATURDAY 5 APRIL 2025

PAVILION THEATRE, BOURNEMOUTH

www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 7 – SATURDAY 12 APRIL 2025

ROYAL CONCERT HALL, NOTTINGHAM

www.trch.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 14 – SATURDAY 19 APRIL 2025

THE ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM

www.atgtickets.com/venues/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 21 – SATURDAY 26 APRIL 2025

HALL FOR CORNWALL, TRURO

www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

Casting to be announced

TUESDAY 29 APRIL – SATURDAY 3 MAY 2025

VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO

www.venuecymru.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 5 – SATURDAY 10 MAY 2025

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF

www.wmc.org.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 12 – SATURDAY 17 MAY 2025

MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY

www.marlowetheatre.com

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 19 – SATURDAY 24 MAY 2025

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 26 – SATURDAY 31 MAY 2025

ORCHARD THEATRE, DARTFORD

www.trafalgartickets.com/orchard-theatre-dartford

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 9 – SATURDAY 14 JUNE 2025

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 16 – SATURDAY 21 JUNE

CURVE, LEICESTER

www.curveonline.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 22 – SATURDAY 28 JUNE 2025

GRAND THEATRE, WOLVERHAMPTON

www.grandtheatre.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 30 JUNE – SATURDAY 5 JULY 2025

HULL NEW THEATRE

www.hulltheatres.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 7 – SATURDAY 12 JULY 2025

CONGRESS THEATRE, EASTBOURNE

www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 14 – SATURDAY 19 JULY 2025

THEATRE ROYAL, NORWICH

www.norwichtheatre.org

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 21 – SATURDAY 26 JULY 2025

WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL

www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 28 JULY – SATURDAY 2 AUGUST 2025

NEW VICTORIA THEATRE, WOKING

www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 4 – SATURDAY 9 AUGUST 2025

SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 11 – SATURDAY 16 AUGUST 2025

HAWTH THEATRE, CRAWLEY

www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/the-hawth

Casting to be announced

MONDAY 18 – SATURDAY 23 AUGUST 2025

KING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW

www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow

Casting to be announced