VIDEO: Hangin' on 49th Street with CHICAGO Star, Ana Villafañe

It's all razzle dazzle again at the Ambassador Theatre, where after a hiatus of a year and a half, the longest-running American musical in Broadway history has officially resumed performances. A new Roxie Hart struts the stage at Chicago this time around- Ana Villafañe, who is returning to Broadway for the first time since her breakout portrayal of Gloria Estefan in On Your Feet.

"It's been extremely emotional," said Villafañe in a recent interview with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge. "The comedown is harder than ever because the adrenaline is so much higher. We're not used to it and we're out of practice. In my case, I haven't been on Broadway since 2017, so it's kind of amazing. Today is our first show of the week and I'm really excited to get on stage."

Ana admitted that the idea of playing this role was a new one when it came to her. "I had never thought about [playing Roxie]. But it's so iconic that I'm kind of confused as to how it wasn't on my list of dream roles!"

In addition to her Broadway credits, Ana recently appeared on television in the eagerly-awaited "Night Court" reboot (NBC 2021), TV Land's critically-acclaimed Darren Star series "Younger" (Parmount/TV Land) as well as "New Amsterdam" (NBC), "Sunnyside" (NBC), "History of Them" (CBS) and more. Her previous theatre credits include playing Nina Rosario in In The Heights at the Kennedy Center and Collective Rage at MCC Theater. Ana is an Outer Critics Circle Award, Astaire Awards, and two-time Drama League Award nominee. Ana was named one of the New York Times' "30 under 30" and is a Theatre World Award winner for Best Actress. She is represented by UTA and 111 Media, Inc.

watch as she chats more with Richard about the honor of stepping into such a beloved show and how she got ready for her Broadway return!

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