NEW YORK — Alyssa Milano aims to captivate audiences when she debuts on Broadway this fall in the musical ‘Chicago’, which criticizes celebrity society.
“The beauty of theatre is that you get to try new things every night,” she told The Associated Press. “That’s what I used to enjoy about doing theatre. And that is what I am hoping to find again in ‘Chicago.'”
Milano, a former star of “Who’s the Boss?” and “Charmed,” will play Roxie Hart at the Ambassador Theatre beginning September 16 and running for eight weeks until November 10.
Alyssa Milano To Make Her Broadway Debut In The Razzle-Dazzle Musical ‘Chicago’ This Fall
For Milano, taking the stage represents a return to her roots. She was in a national touring company of “Annie” at the age of eight, and she went on to star in Wendy Wasserstein’s “Tender Offer” at the off-Broadway Ensemble Studio Theatre and “All Night Long” at Second Stage. She appeared in the first American musical adaptation of “Jane Eyre” and produced and starred in a Los Angeles production of “Butterflies Are Free.”
Milano thinks doing a Broadway run only seemed right now. Her children, aged 9 and 12, are established in school and extracurricular activities, and her husband is doing well in his profession.
“It just felt like when this offer came up that everything fell into place,” she reflects. “My 9-year-old daughter looked at me and said, ‘Mom, you would be an idiot not to do this.'”
In recent years, she appeared in the films “Brazen” and “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” as well as the Netflix series “Insatiable.” Milano has also used her celebrity and voice to promote the #MeToo movement, created clothing, jewelry, and eyewear lines, and hosted Lifetime’s “Project Runway All-Stars.”
Set in the 1920s, “Chicago” is a caustic satire on how show business and the media turn criminals into celebrities. It features Bob Fosse-inspired dance, revealing clothing, and smash hits, including “All That Jazz” and “Cell Block Tango.”
“Chicago” follows Roxie, a housewife and dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to leave her. To avoid conviction, Roxie hires Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to assist her in deceiving the public, media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by fabricating sensational headlines.
Milano says she wants to honor Ann Reinking, the renowned Fosse collaborator who played Roxie in the 1996 revival and devised the choreography in Fosse’s manner. “I’m really trying to pay honour to her choreography and interpretation of Roxie. Because she was profound.
Alyssa Milano To Make Her Broadway Debut In The Razzle-Dazzle Musical ‘Chicago’ This Fall
Since its premiere in 1996, “Chicago” has featured a diverse cast of female actors, including Pam Anderson, Melanie Griffith, Christie Brinkley, Marilu Henner, Brooke Shields, Lisa Rinna, Gretchen Mol, Ashlee Simpson, Brandy Norwood, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Givens.
Milano hopes that fans will see her more than once. “I guarantee you I’m going to keep finding things — keep finding little moments that will, hopefully, add onto the legacy of all the women who came before me.”
SOURCE | AP
