Brent Barrett Will Razzle Dazzle Broadway's Chicago Once Again

By Adam Hetrick
and Andrew Gans
09 Dec 2011

Brent Barrett
Brent Barrett

Brent Barrett will return to the courtroom of the long-running Broadway revival of Kander and Ebb's Chicago, beginning Dec. 19 at the Ambassador Theatre.

Barrett, who has been a frequent presence in the Broadway revival of Chicago throughout its run, will succeed John O'Hurley, who exits the production Dec. 18.

The cast of Chicago currently features Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie Hart, Bahiyah Hibah as Velma Kelly, Chris Sullivan as Amos Hart and Carol Woods as Matron "Mama" Morton. Bokhour will appear in the role of Amos Hart from Dec. 19-Jan. 1, 2012.

Barrett played a two-year stint in the title role of Phantom – the Las Vegas Spectacular and received an Olivier Award nomination for his role in the London company of Kiss Me, Kate. He recently appeared in the Off-Broadway run of Silence! The Musical and the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre production of Follies.

His other theatrical credits include the Broadway productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Chicago, Grand Hotel, Dance a Little Closer, West Side Story and Candide. Barrett received a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for his work in the L.A. production of Chicago and has been seen Off-Broadway in Closer Than Ever, March of the Falsettos, The Death of Von Richtofen, The Time of the Cuckoo and Portrait of Jenny. His television and film appearances include "Hercules," "Longtime Companion," "All My Children," "Another World" and "Guiding Light."

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 Nov. 1996 where it remained through Feb. 1997. The musical transferred to the Shubert Theatre on Feb. 11, 1997, and played that house through Jan. 26, 2003. The revival reopened at the Ambassador Theatre, its current home, on Jan. 29, 2003.

Chicago won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 1997 as well as awards for actors Bebe Neuwirth and James Naughton, director Walter Bobbie, lighting designer Ken Billington and choreographer Ann Reinking. The original production was directed and choreographed by the late Bob Fosse.

The Ambassador Theatre is located at 219 West 49th Street.

Visit ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.