Chicago

BROADWAY'S RECORD-BREAKING

TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL SMASH,
CHICAGO


WINNER OF EIGHT 2019 TONY AWARDS^® INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL
AND THE 2020 GRAMMY^® AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM


RETURNING TO PHILADELPHIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 17 YEARS!


PRESENTED BY ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY AND THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION AT THE FORREST THEATRE MAY 12–17, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 22, 2026) – Chicago is BACK IN TOWN beginning May 12–17 at Philadelphia’s Forrest Theatre, presented by Ensemble Arts Philly and The Shubert Organization – and is still the one musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune, and all that jazz, with one showstopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history – and it shows no sign of ever slowing down!

There’s never been a better time to experience Chicago, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of six Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy, and thousands of standing ovations. You’ve got to come see why the name on everyone’s lips is still… Chicago.

“Philadelphia has a long and rich history of presenting Broadway, not only at our Academy of Music and Miller Theater on Broad Street, but at the Forrest Theatre, as well; owned and operated by our partners at The Shubert Organization, the Forrest even hosted Chicago’s pre-Broadway run before the show opened in New York in 1975,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations. “Now more than 50 years later, Chicago returns to Philadelphia for the first time since 2009, a testament to its longevity through the decades and place as one of the most popular musicals of all time.”

The 2025–26 touring cast of Chicago features Ellie Roddy in her return to the cellblock as Roxie Hart, Claire Marshall making her debut as Velma Kelly along with Max Cervantes as Billy Flynn, Marc Christopher as Amos Hart, Illeana “illy” Kirven returning as Matron “Mama” Morton, and J. Clanton as Mary Sunshine.

The cast also includes Tim Canali, Genevieve Hall, Jared Houde, Jaiden Jones, Amy Knips, Lacey Kohn, Helena Laing, Michael Mottram, Chandler James Pettus, Anna Speer, Nick Traficante, and returning cast members Timothy Scott Brausch, Terryn Cuozzo, Josh England, Serena Kozusko, Ryan McInnes and Angelliz M. Rosado Ramos.  

Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. 

This tour will be directed by David Hyslop with choreography by Gregory Butler based on the original direction by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and original choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking. Chicago features scenic design by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costume design by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, sound design by Scott Lehrer, Supervising Music Director Robert Billig, and casting by ARC.

The Chicago band will be led by Music Director and Conductor Andy Chen, Associate Conductor Chase Anderson, and will include Erik Wakar, Jason Whitmore, Heather Kriesel, Matt TenBroek, Jordan Webb, Amanda Bateman, Landon Gaddis, Troy Bashor, Garrett Sullivan, and Aaron Kan.

The stage management team is led by Sofia Rose Itskovich and Elspeth Bustard. The company management team is led by Marc Ciemiewicz and Jess Fernando.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously 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.

It’s no surprise that Chicago has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. The show has been seen in 36 different countries and seen by 33 million people worldwide and now it’s coming to your town!

Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award®-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, Chicago always delivers!

Chicago is a production not to be missed. And all the reviewers agree.

Time Magazine calls it “A Triumph,” Newsweek raves “Smashing” and Entertainment Weekly sums it up by calling Chicago “Broadway’s Most Electrifying Show.”
Come on, babe! Head to Chicago! We’re hotter than ever.

Tickets
To purchase tickets, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org or Telecharge.com, or call Telecharge at 212-239-6200. Group orders may be placed at Broadway Inbound or by calling 866-302-0995.

In-person ticket sales can be conducted at the Forrest Theatre Box Office, located at 1114 Walnut Street, Monday thru Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

CHICAGO
Forrest Theatre
May 12–17, 2026
Show Times Vary

American Sign Language Performance: Thursday, May 14, at 7:30 PM
The Forrest Theatre utilizes Gala Pro for Audio Description and Captioning.

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For more Chicago information: www.ChicagoOnTour.com

Connect with us on social:
https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoOnTour
https://www.tiktok.com/@chicagotour
https://www.instagram.com/ChicagoOnTour/ 

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THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION
The Shubert Organization is America’s oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. Since the dawn of the 20th century, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals both in New York City and throughout the United States. Shubert currently owns and operates 17 Broadway theatres, six off-Broadway venues, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO, and Jeff T. Daniel, President, The Shubert Organization continues to be a leader in the theatre industry. Shubert delivers innovative ticketing solutions via its Telecharge interface, API distribution, and private-label technology, offering unparalleled distribution and marketing to the theatre industry and beyond. Its consumer-facing brands—Telecharge for retail ticket sales and Broadway Inbound for group buyers, tour operators, and the travel industry—sell millions of tickets each year. The Shubert Foundation, sole shareholder of The Shubert Organization, Inc., is dedicated to sustaining and advancing live performing arts in the United States. The Foundation provides general operating support to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. Foundation grants in 2025 totaled $42 million to 672 grantees. For more information, visit www.shubert.nyc.

ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY     
For more information about ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.       

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For photography, please visit https://ensembleartsphilly.smugmug.com/

Click here for a PDF version of this press release.