Ashley Graham Takes First Broadway Bow in ‘Chicago’

The supermodel hit the spotlight on Tuesday, April 15, when Ashley Graham made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago.

Audiences at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City jumped to their feet to welcome the trailblazer to the boards. She was gifted a bouquet of white roses as she stood center stage and took her bow alongside the production’s current Velma Kelly, Sophie Carmen-Jones.

Company members including Max von Essen (as Billy Flynn), Rema Webb (as Mama Morton), Greg Hildreth (as Amos Hart) and R. Lowe (as Mary Sunshine) joined the party for a full-cast curtain call. Graham gave one more paired bow with Carmen-Jones before the two disappeared among the orchestra into the stage.

Graham’s limited engagement in Chicago runs through May 25.

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The 37-year-old has expressed her excitement and gratitude about this new chapter in her career, previously saying in a statement to PEOPLE that she is “deeply grateful” to embrace the new challenge.

Her journey to the stage has been years in the making. It’s something she first wrote on her vision board — specifically, “Sing on Broadway” — in 2019.

“I don’t know what told me inside that was something that maybe I could actually do. Because I usually only write things down that like, are a possibility that I want to work my way to,” she said during a visit to CBS Mornings earlier this month. “And sure enough, here we are. I’m going from zero to 100, baby!” 

To get there, Graham prepared rigorously for the role, rehearsing six days a week to master the demanding Bob Fosse choreography. She first shared video of her practicing her dance moves back in March when she announced her casting, and has been documenting her journey on social media ever since.

The mother of three — who shares sons Isaac, 5, and twins Malachi and Roman, 3, with husband Justin Ervin — joins a prestigious list of celebrities who have portrayed Roxie Hart on Broadway, including Pamela Anderson, Brandy Norwood, Lisa Rinna, Christie Brinkley, Ariana Madix, Erika Jayne and Brooke Shields.

The latter offered Graham invaluable support. The two met serendipitously before Graham’s audition, with Shields giving Graham simple yet profound advice: “be yourself.”

Graham has embraced that message during her audition and throughout her preparation. ​”Roxie really is in all of us,” she told CBS Mornings. “She’s the go-getter, she wants to make it to the top, and she’ll do anything to get there.”

“I have been told no so many times in my career. I’ve been told that I’m not good enough. All the things,” Graham said. “And I’m using that and bringing that to the stage.”

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Chicago is the longest-running American musical on Broadway. The revival opened in 1996, with Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth in the roles of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly.

The musical, which first debuted in 1975, follows the two women who use their criminal notoriety to find fame in the Vaudeville circuit. Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse wrote the book.

Its score, composed by John Kander with lyrics by Ebb, is filled with some of the most beloved songs in musical theater history, including “All That Jazz,” “The Cell-Block Tango,” “When You’re Good to Momma,” “Roxie” and “Razzle Dazzle.”

In 2002, an all-star movie adaptation of the musical was released with Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Roxie and Velma. The movie went on to win six Oscar Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Zeta-Jones. 

Tickets for Chicago are now on sale.