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Razzle-dazzle from Seoul to Broadway as Ivy lands lead in 'Chicago'
Singer and actor Ivy poses for a photo during a press conference at Chungmu Arts Center in central Seoul, Tuesday, announcing her Broadway debut in the musical "Chicago." Yonhap
By Pyo Kyung-min
Musical actor and singer Ivy, 43, is taking her signature role across the Pacific. After 15 years owning the part of Roxie Hart in the Korean production of "Chicago," she will make her Broadway debut in the role this August.
"Chicago" is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, having won Tonies in six categories, including Best Revival of a Musical in 1997. Set in 1920s Chicago, the show satirizes the era's justice system and a culture obsessed with fame. The story follows Roxie Hart, a woman imprisoned for killing her lover, and Velma Kelly, who is locked up for murdering her unfaithful husband and her sister.
In Korea, the musical has been staged regularly since Seensee Company's original 2000 production.
Ivy holds the record for the longest run as Roxie Hart in a Korean production — an experience she will bring with her to the Ambassador Theatre in New York from Aug. 17 to Sept. 7. Since first taking the stage in 2012, she has performed the role in nearly 600 shows, a run that helped transform her public image from singer to leading musical theater actor.
Singer and actor Ivy, who plays Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago," performs during a press preview at D-Cube Link Art Center in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, June 11, 2024. Newsis
Landing the part wasn't a quick process. Ivy received an audition offer from the Broadway production last year and went through three rounds of auditions before securing the role.
The singer said she is now deep in training for English line delivery and pronunciation, which she calls her biggest challenge heading into the run.
"I stuck with one thing for a long time, and now an incredible opportunity has come my way," Ivy said during a press conference held to commemorate her Broadway debut at the Chungmu Arts Center in central Seoul, Tuesday. She was joined by Park Myung-sung, CEO of Seensee Company, which produces the Korean run of "Chicago."
"I'm honored to perform in the home of musical theater, thanks to so many people's support. I'm going as a representative of Korean musical actors, so I feel responsibility, pressure and excitement all at once. I'm curious how an American production works, so I'll go find out for myself," Ivy said.
Very few Korea-based musical actors have landed on leading Broadway roles. Korean American actor Lee Hae-chan made history in 2024 as the first Korean American to play Orpheus on Broadway in "Hadestown." Earlier, Korean American actor Michael Lee appeared on Broadway as Thuy in "Miss Saigon" in the mid-1990s. In 2023, Hwang Joo-min became the first native Korean to step into a non-Asian-specific principal role on Broadway when he joined "& Juliet" as François.
Singer and actor Ivy, left, and Seensee Company CEO Park Myung-sung attend a press conference at Chungmu Arts Center in central Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
"'Chicago' is exaggerated in every sense, full of satire and humor. It just doesn't compare to Korean sensibilities, and it demands a lot from the actors," Park said. "The songs are easy to listen to but hard to sing, and Roxie's part is loaded with slang on top of that."
"Earlier this year, when I was in New York, I was told directly that they wanted to cast Ivy on Broadway. I said I was confident she could do it, that her talent would translate ... Even with the gaps she has in English and elsewhere, I believe she'll grow into an actor who holds her own among the best on Broadway," he added.
Ivy said prepping for the Korean production and the original American staging turned out to be very different animals.
"I think 'Chicago' is one of the most quintessentially American shows on Broadway. Studying the English script, I realized how much had been trimmed from the Korean version. A lot of the racier, more direct material was actually the most fun part for me ... I think I'll keep growing as I get more comfortable with the script," she said.
Singerand actor Ivy speaks during a press conference at Chungmu Arts Center in central Seoul, Tuesday, announcing her Broadway debut in the musical "Chicago." Yonhap
With her flight out just a week away, Ivy hoped American audience would connect with her verison of Roxie Hart.
"I think the strength of my Roxie comes from living with the character for so many years. I felt real similarities between Roxie chasing stardom while going through hardship behind bars and my own path, and I think that's where audiences connected with my performance," she said.
"Everything about this is unfamiliar and a little frightening, but I've prepared for a long time, so I hope my effort comes across clearly ... In the end, my goal is to deliver the message of the show," she said.
"The U.S. is a country of immigrants, so audience there is probably used to foreign accents, but a stage performance is a different matter. I want to hear that it was 'not bad.'"