CHICAGO To Perform 5 Shows At Progress Energy Center 4/24-26

Now celebrating eleven glorious years of girls, glitz and glamour across the country, the record-breaking smash hit musical CHICAGO is BACK IN TOWN and its PURE ENTERTAINMENT!

Tickets for the St. Petersburg engagement of CHICAGO start at $40.00 andare on sale now. Tickets are available at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater box office (400 1st St S), Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-982-2787 or online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Groups of 10 or more should call (407) 423-9999 x17 or (800) 950-4647.

CHICAGO will perform five shows at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater from April 24 - 26, 2009. The performance schedule is as follows; Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 2:00pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm and 7:30pm.

Murder. Greed. Corruption. Violence. Exploitation. Adultery. Treachery. Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously 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. Tony-nominated actor Tom Wopat returns to the role of Billy Flynn after having played the part in both the Broadway and National Touring productions.

Other Broadway credits include A Catered Affair (Tom, Tonynomination) Glengarry Glen Ross (James Lingk), 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Annie Get Your Gun (Frank Butler, Tony nomination), Guys and Dolls, City of Angels, Carousel, I Love My Wife.

Off-B'way: The Guys. Perhaps best known for his seven-season run on TV's "The Dukes of Hazzard" and seen on the CBS sitcom "Cybill," Mr. Wopat began performing in musicals at age 12. His NY debut was the Off-B'way musical A Bistro Car on the CNR, and he then starred in The Robber Bridegroom at Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C. Wopat has released successful albums with CBS, Capitol and Angel Records and hastoured throughout the U.S. and Europe.

He recently performed in a Carnegie Hall tribute to Harold Arlen and his CD of this tribute, Dissertation on the State of Bliss, is now available.

With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, musicby John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, CHICAGO is the winner of six 1997Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for BestMusical Cast Recording. Local actress Evelyn Christina Tonn will be playing the role of Hunyak. A native of Sarasota, Florida Evelyn Christina had the wonderful opportunity toperform in her first two professional shows ("II: Trials at Nuremburg" Herman Goering's daughter and "The Secret Garden" Mary Lennox) at theFlorida Studio Theatre, where she received her early acting training.

She also played the role of Dinah Lord in "The Philadelphia Story" at the Asolo Repertory Theatre for which she won the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy "Standing O" from Sarasota Magazine. Directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Ann Reinking, CHICAGO features set design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington and sound design by Scott Lehrer.

The production also features orchestrations by Ralph Burns, supervising music direction by Rob Fisher. Produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, CHICAGO has become a world wide phenomenon.

The London production of CHICAGO continues to hold the record as the longest running American Musical in West End history. Other previous international engagements include productions in Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Dubai, France,Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan. Return engagements of CHICAGO are slated for Australia and Holland in 2009. CHICAGO is a production not to be missed. And all the reviewers agree.

Time Magazine calls it "A Triumph," Newsweek raves "Smashing" and Entertainment Weekly sums it up by calling CHICAGO "Broadway's Most Electrifying Show." Visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com for more information.Tickets for CHICAGO start at $40.00 and are available at the Progress EnergyCenter for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater box office (400 1st St S), Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-982-2787 or online at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Groups of 10 or more should call (407) 423-9999 x17 or (800) 950-4647.

CHICAGO will perform five shows at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts - Mahaffey Theater from April 24 - 26, 2009.

The performance schedule is as follows; Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 2:00pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm and 7:30pm. Broadway Across America - St. Petersburg is presented by Florida TheatricalAssociation, a non-profit civic organization with a volunteer board of trusteesestablished to ensure the continued presentation of quality touring Broadway productions and the promotion of arts education throughout the state of Florida.

Broadway Across America: Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities.

Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world.

Broadway Across America most recently produced Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS on Broadway, while current and upcoming productions include West Side Story, Blithe Spirit, MINSKY'S, and the DeafWest production of PIPPIN. Broadway tours include DORA THE EXPLORER, FROST/NIXON, SPAMALOT, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com