Ashlee Simpson Confirms Her Starring Role In Broadway's 'Chicago'

By Elizabeth Lancaster

When you think Broadway superstar the common conception begins somewhere around Judy Garland and ends closer to Idina Menzel. Maybe the last person you would consider to star in an upcoming production would be an actress recently cut from a revision of an old TV show (paging: "Melrose Place"). Ashlee Simpson, while a successful artists for many years, has not exactly maintained a reputation as an all-star live performer, which makes her new lead role in Broadway’s "Chicago" a little surprising. But, since she's a veteran of the show (three years ago, she starred as Roxie Hart at the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End), we're going to cut her a little slack and hope that she can razzle dazzle us in the U.S. as well.

"I'm honored to be reprising my role as Chicago's Roxie Hart, returning to the stage and joining this amazing cast,"the 25-year-old mom and wife of punk rock star Pete Wentz said in a statement to MTV News. "Being on Broadway is a childhood dream come true.”

Ashlee, in fact, can relate a lot to the character she'll be reprising — a wannabe vaudeville act who desperately wants to be famous. "Roxie's a fun character to play,"said in 2006 during her time in London. "For me, it wasn't like I ever wanted to have my name in the papers. It was usually like, 'Oh, no!' But I know what the feeling is. And I know what the celebrity life is like, so I tried to bring a little comedy to that."

Ashlee is not the first Hollywood/Billboard star to hit the stage this year and we know she certainly wont be the last. Jude Law recently embodied the infamous Hamlet. Other A-list stars in the bright lights this fall have been Sienna Miller in "After Miss Julie," Hugh Jackman in "A Steady Rain," and Julia Stiles in "Oleanna."

What do you think about Ashlee coming to Broadway?

Tags Ashlee Simpson, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Chicago