Ariana Madix—known for her appearances on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules and as a finalist on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars—returned to the Tony-winning revival of Chicago August 1 at the Ambassador Theatre. See Madix take her first bow of her return engagement in the photos below.
Madix, who played a box-office breaking engagement in the hit revival this past winter, was originally scheduled to return to the role of Roxie Hart through August 27. It was recently announced that the stage and screen star will now play an additional six performances through September 1.
Max von Essen and Ariana Madix
Ariana Madix
Max von Essen, Ariana Madix, Amra-Faye Wright, and Red Concepción
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix
Max von Essen, Ariana Madix, and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
Ariana Madix and Amra-Faye Wright
The current cast of Chicago features Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Max von Essen as Billy Flynn, Natasha Yvette Williams as Matron "Mama" Morton, Red Concepción as Amos Hart, and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.
READ: Chicago's Ariana Madix Is a Lifelong Playbill Collector
The ensemble includes Eddie Bennett, David Bushman, Jennifer Dunne, Jeff Gorti, Jaquez, Arian Keddell, Mary Claire King, Marty Lawson, Joseph London, Barrett Martin, Sharon Moore, Celina Nightengale, Kristen Faith Oei, Jermaine R. Rembert, Mikayla Renfrow, Rachel Shur, Colt Adam Weiss, and Matthew Winnegge.
Buy Chicago merchandise in the Playbill Store
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 in 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 been seen by more than 34 million people and played over 33,500 performances worldwide in 38 countries and in more than 525 cities. 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 Duncan Stewart of ARC Casting.
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.
