Health & Fitness
American Idol's Justin Guarini to Star in Media Theatre's 'Chicago'
'Chicago' to feature Justin Guarini at Media Theatre.
Justin Guarini will make his debut this fall in the Kander and Ebb musical Chicago. The show, which opens the theatre’s 2011-2012 Broadway Series, runs Sept. 28 through Nov. 6.
Guarini, who was the season one runner-up on FOX-TV’s talent contest American Idol, will play the role of Billy Flynn, the charismatic attorney who manipulates the press to keep his gorgeous female clients from death row. The musical is a satire on corruption in the criminal justice system and the "celebrity criminal" during the Prohibition Era.
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Guarini received rave reviews recently on Broadway in American Idiot and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. The LA Times referred to him as "captivating," while the New York Daily News stated he was "terrific."
He is regularly seen on the TV Guide Network as one of its resident hosts. His other television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Larry King Live, Showbiz Tonight and Good Morning America.
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Two-time Barrymore Award winner Jennie Eisenhower, who won her first honor for her performance in The Media Theatre’s The Wild Party, directs the musical. The popular show features the classic numbers "Razzle Dazzle," "Cell Block Tango" and "All That Jazz."
Jesse Cline, the artistic director of The Media Theatre, said, "After I saw Justin in Broadway’s American Idiot and Women On The Verge, I felt he would bring a new and excitingly different dimension to the role of Billy Flynn."
The Media Theatre, part of the Philadelphia theatre community, adds Guarini to the list of celebrated actors who have performed on its stage. Comedienne and actress Wanda Sykes portrayed the iconic role of Miss Hannigan in Annie in 2010 to packed houses and standing ovations. Others who have performed at the historic venue are Broadway’s Tony nominated actress Ann Crumb, David Miller (of pop vocal group Il Divo), Andy Karl of Wicked, and Tony winners Betty Buckley and Judy Kaye.
The Media Theatre's awards include "Best Of" honors from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Main Line Today magazine and Delaware County Daily Times, as well as a Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre.
For tickets to Chicago with Justin Guarini call The Media Theatre at 610-891-0100 or order online at www.mediatheatre.org
