Pop star Ashlee Simpson, previously confirmed as London's latest Roxie Hart, will join the cast of the hit West End production of Chicago on September 25th. She will perform in the show for a limited six-week engagement, according to London's The Sun.The 21
year-old singer's albums include "Autobiography" and "I Am Me." The
singer, who is the sister of pop star Jessica Simpson and who also
appeared on an eponymous reality show, has also appeared on film in Undiscovered and The Hot Chick, and on TV in "7th Heaven" and "Malcolm in the Middle." Simpson is the second pop star to have been cast in Chicagolately. Grammy Award-winner Usher currently plays Billy Flynn in the Broadway production.London's Chicago currently stars Linzi Hateley
as Roxie Hart, Amra-Faye Wright as Velma Kelly, Ian Kelsey as Billy
Flynn, Brenda as Mama Morton and CC Mulaney as Mary Sunshine. It plays
the Cambridge Theatre. The Broadway production ofChicago, which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on November 14th 1996, has
reached a run of over 4,000
performances at the Ambassador Theatre (215 W. 49th St.); the show will celebrate its
10 year anniversary in November. Chicagoreceived
6 1997 Tonys (including Best Revival of a Musical) under the direction
of Walter Bobbie and the choreography of star Ann Reinking. The
revival, based
on Bobbie's stylistically stripped-down Encores! staging, featured
direction and choreography by Bob Fosse in its original 1975
production. Chicago features a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb, and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse.