Andover Native In Running To Play Chicago's Roxie On Broadway

ANDOVER, MA — Andover native Madeleine Corliss is one of ten finalists to play Roxie in the current Broadway revival of the 1975 musical Chicago. Corliss, who now lives in New York, auditioned via video and was selected by members of the show's producers and crew. The final three will be determined by a fan vote ending Friday.

Corliss grew up performing in area theater, at South Elementary and with the Summer Theatre Ensemble and Merrimack Junior Theatre.

"Being able to do theater in Andover as a kid shaped who I am as a person," she said. "I remember watching shows at the Collins Center at the high school and then being able to perform on that stage. I just knew this is what I wanted to do with my life. From there, I took every opportunity that was available and luckily, there were many opportunities for me to do theater in town.”

Voting for finalists is at https://chicagothemusical.com/roxiecasting/ and ends Friday, Nov. 8. Three finalists will get in-person auditions in New York. Roxie Hart, a murderer awaiting trial and trying to spin fame into an acquittal, has been played on Broadway by Liza Minelli and Gwen Verdon and in the Oscar-winning 2002 movie by Renée Zellweger.

The current Broadway production, at the Ambassador Theatre, has had a series of limited run Roxies, recently. The production is the longest-running American musical currently on Broadway.

Corliss went to Natick's Walnut Hill School for the Arts for high school and then Syracuse University. She has played the role of Roxie in regional theater, including earlier this year at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock.

"Chicago is one of my all-time favorite shows. It’s one of the few shows that has withheld the test of time. Even after 20 years on Broadway, it is still relevant, if not more relevant. To be able to play Roxie on Broadway now would fulfill so many dreams," Corliss said.

Christopher Huffaker: 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.