‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ winner Jinkx Monsoon to make their Broadway debut in ‘Chicago’
Monsoon is set to play Phoebe Cates, the mother of singer-songwriter Etta James.
The Tony-nominated actress will be featured in “Chicago,” the musical based on the 1989 movie of the same name, at the Nederlander Theatre with previews running today until Oct. 27.
The musical is based on the Tony Award-winning 1987 movie starring Mary Tyler Moore and Alan Arkin.
“The Tony-Nominated Jinkx Monsoon will play one of the most memorable roles in the musical when it hits Broadway in January,” Monsoon said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Michael Grandage and the entire team on this show.”
This will be Monsoon’s first Broadway role, but she has been known to play musicals on screen. In 2014, Monsoon played the part of Phoebe in the Broadway hit “The Lion King,” which went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Monsoon has long had a passion for musicals. She first became involved in drama, playing the role of Mary Jane in the 2002 movie, “The Blind Side,” and later was cast in the title role in the 2013 film, “La La Land.”
In “La La Land,” she starred alongside Anne Hathaway and Ryan Gosling, singing their song “You’re So Vain.”
Monsoon’s other Broadway credits include “Spring Awakening” and “Annie.”
Jinkx Monsoon and her sister Chord Overstreet won the competition for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10, and in July, Monsoon revealed her plans to make her Broadway debut.
Monsoon posted an image on Instagram of herself in a dress with the caption, “Yay!”
The image sparked a debate over whether Monsoon