X Factor winner to star as Mama Morton in CHICAGO at Sunderland Empire

The X Factor winner Sam Bailey will return to the role of Mama Morton, alongside Charlotte Gooch as Velma Kelly, Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Amos Hart and R. Leonard as Mary Sunshine. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn are still to be announced. 

The company is completed by Bethany Adamson, Kofi Aidoo-Appiah, Gabby Antrobus, Jamie Armour, Talia Duff, Harvey Fawcett, Marie Finlayson, Sergio Giacomelli, Sam Holden, Aoife Kenny, Harrison Langham, Oliver Loades, Will Markendale, Gabrielle Parker, and Tanith Williams.

Sam Bailey can currently be seen as Debbie in Mamma Mia! The Party at the O2 Arena. Her other theatre credits include the role of Mama Morton in Chicago, Betty Simpson in Fat Friends the Musical, Mrs Potts in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Miss Hedge in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and April Devonshire in NOW… That’s What I Call A Musical. Sam rose to national prominence winning The X Factor in 2013. Her debut single Skyscraper became the UK Christmas Number One, followed by her chart-topping album The Power of Love.

Charlotte Gooch’s theatre credits include the role of Nini in Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre, Kathy Selden in Singin’ In The Rain at Sadler’s Wells and on tour, Alex Owens in the international tour of Flashdance, Tina Sparkle in Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre, Dale Tremont in Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre and on tour, Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing at the Dominion Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre and on tour, Bombalurina in the European tour of CATS and Patty Simcox in Grease on tour.

Jonathan Dryden Taylor’s theatre credits include the UK and European tour of Kinky Boots, My Fair Lady at Curve Leicester, Fiddler on the Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London Tide, The Normal Heart, As You Like It, Our Country’s Good, Light Shining In Buckinghamshire, King Lear, Othello and The Captain of Kopenick all at the National Theatre, The Wizard of Oz at Curve Leicester and the London Palladium and Billy Elliot at Curve Leicester.

R. Leonard makes their professional debut in Chicago.

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, now celebrating 30 Razzle Dazzling years on Broadway.

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 35 million people, grossed over $1.8 billion has played over 36,000 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 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO was choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.

Tickets for CHICAGO are available online now atATGTickets.com/ Sunderland