Celebs who hit big

Key Points:

• The producers of the Broadway revival of "Chicago," Fran and Barry Weissler, have successfully boosted the show's longevity and box office by casting celebrities with little to no theater experience, turning it into the second-longest-running show on Broadway.
• Whitney Leavitt, known from Hulu's "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" and "Dancing with the Stars," recently drove the show's highest-grossing week ever with $1.4 million in ticket sales, leading to an extended run until May 3.
• The stunt casting strategy began successfully with Melanie Griffith in 2003, who, despite lacking traditional theater skills, attracted large audiences and set a precedent that star power can outweigh triple-threat abilities in this production.
• Other notable celebrity castings include Usher, who significantly increased ticket sales during his 2006 run as Billy Flynn, and Pamela Anderson, whose 2022 performance revitalized interest post-COVID, while some stars like Tara Conner and Mira Sorvino failed to draw audiences.
• Reality TV stars have recently become major box office draws for "Chicago," with Jinkx Monsoon and Ariana Madix breaking records, highlighting the show's ongoing reliance on diverse celebrity casting to maintain its success ahead of its 30th anniversary.