Broadway's longest running American musical Chicago to make India debut in 2027

Mumbai is getting a taste of Broadway in 2027, with Chicago, the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, set to make its India debut at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC).

The Tony Award-winning musical will be staged at NMACC's Grand Theatre from January 21 to 31, 2027, with a limited run of 14 shows. The Mumbai engagement also comes three decades after the celebrated Broadway revival of Chicago opened in 1996.

Presented in association with Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live, the production will bring its iconic score, live orchestra and Bob Fosse's distinctive jazz choreography to Mumbai.

What is Chicago about?

Set against the razzle-dazzle of 1920s Chicago, Chicago follows Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who finds herself in Cook County Jail after murdering her lover.

There, she meets Velma Kelly, a vaudeville star who is also facing a murder charge. Their rivalry intensifies when charismatic lawyer Billy Flynn turns Roxie's crime into a media spectacle.

As Roxie and Velma compete for public attention, the musical explores the relationship between crime, celebrity and the media, while examining how easily public perception can be shaped by spectacle.

Based on Maurine Dallas Watkins' 1926 play, Chicago was adapted for the stage by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

The original production was directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking. The creative team also included John Lee Beatty, William Ivey Long, Ken Billington and Ricke Clarke.

From All That Jazz to Cell Block Tango

One of Chicago's enduring strengths is its score, which includes some of musical theatre's most recognisable numbers.

The Mumbai production will feature songs including All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango, When You're Good to Mama, Roxie and Hot Honey Rag, alongside Fosse's signature choreography and a live orchestra.

The musical's visual and performance style has become almost as recognisable as its story, with its stripped-back staging, jazz vocabulary and darkly playful approach to fame and crime helping define its identity over the decades.

Three decades after the Broadway revival

The current production arrives in Mumbai 30 years after Chicago's Broadway revival in 1996.

Since then, the musical has won six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy Award. Its influence also extended to cinema with Rob Marshall's 2002 film adaptation, starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere. The film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, introducing Chicago to an even wider global audience.

Three decades after its Broadway revival, the musical continues to centre on themes like fame, media attention, celebrity and the public fascination with crime, all of which remain closely tied to contemporary popular culture.

Chicago comes to Mumbai

The Mumbai debut is also the 11th major international Broadway or West End production to be presented by NMACC since its opening in 2023. For Mumbai audiences, the engagement offers an opportunity to experience a musical that has spent decades becoming part of Broadway history, complete with its celebrated songs, choreography and distinctive take on celebrity culture.

Chicago will be staged at the Grand Theatre, NMACC, from January 21 to 31, 2027, with 14 shows scheduled during its limited Mumbai run.