Trans actors have made all sorts of impressions on Broadway, but former Chicagoan Angelica Ross has set a precedent.
Next month, the leading role of fame-hungry murderess Roxie Hart will be played by Angelica Ross. Ross will be the first out transgender actress to step into the role of Hart on Broadway, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and one of the first trans women to play a leading role there.
In 2018, RuPaul's Drag Race alum Peppermint starred in the Go-Go's musical Head Over Heels and, this season, L Morgan Lee earned a Tony nomination for her role in best musical winner A Strange Loop. The upcoming revival of 1776 will also include trans and non-binary cast members.
In a press release Windy City Times received, GLAAD Vice President of Communications & Talent Anthony Allen Ramos said, "Chicago's' Roxie Hart is one of the most recognizable, iconic, and beloved characters in the history of Broadway, and a true talent like Angelica Ross will delight audiences with her impressive acting, singing and performance skills. Angelica is also a respected leader in the transgender community, and joins L Morgan Lee as trans women of color currently starring on Broadway."
Ross is the latest star to play Hart on Broadway. Earlier this year, actress Pamela Anderson made her Broadway debut in the role.
