CHICAGO Will Welcome Lissa deGuzman as ‘Velma Kelly’

Lissa deGuzman will join the cast of Chicago on Broadway in the role of “Velma Kelly” beginning Monday, August 31st at the Ambassador Theatre. Chicago currently stars “Dancing with the Stars” three-time champion, Emmy-nominated choreographer, singer-songwriter, musician, and actor Mark Ballas (Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots) as “Billy Flynn” through Sunday, August 16, 2026 only.

Lissa has established herself as one of Broadway’s leading musical theatre performers with acclaimed turns in some of the industry’s most celebrated productions. She previously appeared on Broadway as Elphaba in Wicked and Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, after first appearing in the national touring companies of both productions. She made her Broadway debut as the alternate for Ann Darow in King Kong, and her regional work includes productions at The Muny, Drury Lane Theatre, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Cape Playhouse, and Starlight Theatre. Most recently, she starred as Cassie in A Chorus Line with Theatre Group Asia. She has toured the world as a vocalist with Disney as well as played Carnegie Hall and many other notable stages across the country. She is thrilled to join the company of Chicago as Velma Kelly. Rep: DGRW

With a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history.

The current cast of Chicago features Krysta Rodriguez as Roxie Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Mark Ballas as Billy Flynn, Jacqueline B. Arnold as Matron “Mama” Morton, Eddie Cooper as Amos Hart and J. Workman as Mary Sunshine. The cast also includes Tia Altinay, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Austin Dunn, John Michael Fiumara, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Chelsea James, Christopher Kelley, James T. Lane, Jenny Laroche, Marty Lawson, Joseph London, Kristen Faith Oei, Denny Paschall, Mariah Reives, Sean Samuels, Samantha Sturm, Jeff Sullivan and Elizabeth Yanick.

Produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, Chicago is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. 

Directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking, Chicago features set design by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costume design by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony Award winner Ken Billington, sound design by Tony Award winner Scott Lehrer, casting by ARC/Duncan Stewart, CSA & Patrick Maravilla and Executive Producer Alecia Parker.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who 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.