D. Sabella to Celebrate 30 Years of CHICAGO at the Laurie Beechman

D. Sabella, Broadway's original Mary Sunshine in CHICAGO, will celebrate the iconic musical's 30th anniversary with a behind-the-scenes one-man show. Written, directed, and performed by Sabella, the production offers audiences an intimate look into the creation and legacy of a global theatrical phenomenon.

Featuring the legendary music and lyrics of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, CHICAGO, Kiss of the Spider Woman), Sabella relives his journey with the production from Day 1. The show highlights his experiences working alongside Broadway legends and stars, including Ann Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth, Joel Grey, James Naughton, Marcia Lewis, Chita Rivera, Melanie Griffith, Brent Barrett, and Patrick Swayze. The production also commemorates Sabella's history-making return to Broadway in August 2025 to reprise his landmark 1996 role nearly three decades after opening night.

Possessing a remarkable 4+ octave range, Sabella performs nearly every song from the score in its original key, interweaving hilarious backstage anecdotes and personal milestones. As one of the first gay men in America to legally wed and adopt children, Sabella shares a deeply moving journey of fatherhood intertwined with his international stage career, all set to the timeless music of Kander & Ebb, arranged and music directed by Mark Hartman, at the piano, with a trio of Bass and Drums.

MORE ABOUT David Sabella

David Sabella is best known for his co-starring role as “Mary Sunshine” in the 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO alongside Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, and Joel Grey. First making history at the 1995 Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition — where Pavarotti publicly lauded his voice as “excellent” — Sabella went on to perform with Chita Rivera at Mandalay Bay and continued in CHICAGO through October 2004, returning for the 10th Anniversary performance in 2006 and a historic return to the role in August 2025.

John Kander personally created the role of Luis Perch for Sabella in The Visit, Kander & Ebb's final collaboration. His theatrical credits also include receiving the Fresh Fruit Festival's “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play” award for The Phillie Trilogy, starring as Julian Eltinge in Jules, and performing dual lead roles in Kiss and Make Up at the New York International Fringe Festival.

As a voiceover artist, Sabella's credits include network series such as FOX's Peter Pan and the Pirates (with Tim Curry) and Disney's Teacher's Pet (with Nathan Lane).

An accomplished classical singer, Sabella has performed the title role in Handel's Giulio Cesare (Virginia Opera, recorded on Koch International), Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea (Utah Opera), and Strauss' Die Fledermaus (Lincoln Center). A winner of the New York Oratorio Society Competition and the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, he has appeared frequently at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as a principal alto soloist.

In June 1998, Sabella's caricature was unveiled at the iconic Sardi's restaurant. He has been featured in major publications including Opera News, In Theater, Entertainment Weekly, A&U (Cover), OUT, Next, and Gay Parent.