Theater News

Japanese Stage and Screen Star Ryoko Yonekura to Play Roxie in Broadway’s Chicago

Ryoko Yonekura in Chicago
(Courtesy of the company)
Ryoko Yonekura in Chicago
(Courtesy of the company)

Japanese stage and screen star Ryoko Yonekura will take over the role of Roxie Hart in the Broadway production of Chicago, at the Ambassador Theatre, for a strictly limited engagement, July 10-15.


The actress originated the role of Roxie Hart in the Japanese-language production of Chicagoin 2008 and also played it in 2010. She played Scarlet O’Hara in the Japanese stage adaptation of Gone With The Wind and won the acclaimed Kazuo Kikuta Drama Award. Her film and television credits include Reiko Usagi in The Negotiator, Arisa Matsui (Samantha) in the Japanese version of Bewitched, and more.

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.

The production has been directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Ann Reinking. The creative team includes John Lee Beatty (scenic design), William Ivey Long (costume design), Ken Billington (lighting design), and Scott Lehrer (sound design).

Click here for more information and Chicago tickets on Broadway.

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