David Ian for Crossroads Live in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce that West End and TV star Darren Day will join the UK and Ireland tour of CHICAGO as Billy Flynn for one week only, playing the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (19 – 23 November 2024).
Darren said today, “I’m looking forward to returning to Chicago as Billy Flynn - it’s a role that’s had my heart for many years, so I was thrilled to be asked to step into his shoes once again. I can’t wait to bring the old razzle dazzle to Southampton, with this phenomenal cast!”
Darren returns to the role, joining stage and soap star Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, much-loved performer and TV personality Brenda Edwards as Mama Morton, leading West End talent Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly, 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.
Darren Day previously played the role of Billy Flynn in the 2021 UK and Ireland and Dubai tour of CHICAGO.
His many West End credits include the title role in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium, Tony Parker in Copacabana at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Danny Zuko in Grease at the Cambridge Theatre, and Michael Witney in the world première of Close-Up - The Twiggy Musical at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
His UK touring theatre credits include the roles of Hugo/Loco Chanel in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Rev. Shaw Moore in Footloose, Kashoggi in We Will Rock You, Frank n Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical and Don in Summer Holiday. Darren’s numerous TV credits include Danny Houston in Hollyoaks, David Wilde in Doctors and Will Morgan in Stella. He was a contestant on the very first series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! and a finalist on Celebrity Big Brother.
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.
Tickets for CHICAGO (Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 November 2024) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
