Angelica Ross will be the first trans actor to play Roxie in ‘Chicago’ on Broadway

Angelica Ross, the actor known for her appearances on television shows such as “American Horror Story” and “Pose,” will make her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart in the long-running revival of “Chicago.” Ross will be the first openly transgender woman to play a leading role on Broadway, according to the Associated Press.

“Chicago” representatives broke the historic news on Aug. 4 with a tweet featuring Ross in a stunning black-and-white photo along with a caption that borrows from one of the show’s iconic lyrics.

“The name on everybody’s lips is gonna be… A N G E L I C A! @angelicaross begins performances September 12!” the show tweeted.

Ross’ run as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” at the Ambassador Theater will last eight weeks, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Her opening performance kicks off on Sept. 12 and, as of now, she will take her final bow in the role on Nov. 6.

In addition to her acting roles on the small screen, Ross is a fierce human rights activist. In 2014, she founded TransTech Social Enterprises, an “incubator for LGBTQ Talent with a focus on economically empowering the T, transgender people, in our community.”

In a 2020 conversation with Interview Magazine, Ross talked about her work in front of the camera and on the front lines of social justice.

“I’m new Hollywood,” Ross said in the interview. “It’s not like I get the same opportunities or pay that a white Hollywood actress, or even, let’s just say, Caitlyn Jenner gets. I think we’re finally understanding that so many Black trans people are doing way more work than some of these organizations that have the structure and budgets to do the work. There have been so many initiatives now to ship money and resources to these Black trans-led organizations, and I’m glad that we’re finally seeing that happen.”

Ross’s casting as Roxie Hart marks the first time a Broadway show will feature an openly trans actor in a leading role. However, Ross is not the only openly trans performer who has been on the Broadway stage in recent years. According to Playbill.com, trans actors including Alexandra Billings (“Wicked,” “The Nap”), Kate Bornstein (“Straight White Men”), L Morgan Lee (“A Strange Loop”), and Peppermint (“Head Over Heels”) performed in principal roles on Broadway to pave the way for this step.

We wish this pioneering performer all the best in her Broadway debut!