Liza Minnelli originally supposed to be Roxie in the Chicago City Center Concert?

Loretta Swit

---

I was very good friends with one of the original ensemble members of this revival and he told me that Vanessa Williams was originally supposed to play Roxie at City Center and was in talks at one point to replace Ann when she left the Broadway company. I don't know why that never worked out, I think she could've been wonderful. Much as I loved Marilu Henner I do think Williams would've been better.

---

That's interesting since Liza was a replacement Roxie in the original production. Wait didn't Reinking play Roxie in the original production too?

Liza Minnelli was NEVER a replacement Roxie Hart in the original Broadway production of CHICAGO. She filled-in for Gwen Verdon when she left the show for a few weeks to have throat surgery.

Ann Reinking replaced Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart and played the role until the show closed on Broadway in August 1977. Lenora Nemetz played Velma Kelly opposite her Roxie Hart.

Liza most definitely would have been a replacement, in the same way Stephanie J. Block was a replacement for Sutton Foster. She did not originate the role, therefore she is a replacement, no matter how temporary.

---

If that were the case, then Taye Diggs would have been a fill-in for Norbert Leo Butz, Susan Lucci for Bernadette Peters, and numerous others who covered vacations/illness. The fact of the matter is, if you go to IBDB, PlaybillVault, Ovrtur or any other theatre database they are going to be listed as a replacement not a fill-in.

I'd also be willing to bet their contracts state the same thing.

---

And Minnelli expressly demanded that for the weeks she stepped into the show there be no special publicity or even a new playbill issued. At least in her mind she was only helping out her friends who were in a bind soon after opening- not replacing Gwen.

i actually saw LIZA perform in CHICAGO during the time Gwen Verdon was out for those 6 weeks or so, back in 1976...i had bought tickets in advance and had no idea that i would end up see LIZA as Roxie when i bought those tix...and it turned out to be one of the most thrilling nights in a broadway theatre for me...LIZA and CHTIA together...i was in gay musical heaven...and many years later while working as a Concierge at a hotel LIZA was staying in, i got the chance to tell her i actually saw her perform Roxie...Liza was quite charmed that i told her i saw her perfomance...she then gave me the biggest smile and thank me sweetly for telling her...

Blaxx, please just chill out.