Sebastián Yatra makes his Broadway debut in the lead role of ‘Chicago’ Movie

Two years after making his acting debut in the miniseries Once Upon a Time… But Not AnymoreSebastián Yatra makes the leap to Broadway, where he will close 2024 starring in the musical ChicagoThe Colombian star will play the charming and corrupt lawyer Billy Flynn for four weeks, from Monday, November 25 to Sunday, December 22.

“This is news that I have been wanting to share for a long time,” Yatra told Billboard Spanish Wednesday (September 4) from Medellin. “This is not only great for me, but for Colombia, great for Latinos that we continue doing this kind of things.”

Set in Chicago in the 1920s, during the Prohibition era, Chicago — the longest-running American musical on Broadway, running for nearly three decades — is a scathing satire of the corrupt justice system and the concept of star criminals. With a well-known book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Ebb, it includes such classics from the Broadway songbook as “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango” and “Mr. Cellophane.”

The role of Billy Flynn — superbly played by Richard Gere in the 2002 film adaptation — will be given a special touch by Yatra, who hopes to bring some of his contemporary and tropical flavor to the role.

“We Latinos have something special even if we are speaking English, there is a lot of love inside us, a lot of passion,” said the singer-songwriter of No. 1 hits on Latin Airplay in Billboard like “Tacones rojas”, “Un año” with Reik and “Robarte un beso” with Carlos Vives. “I think I can offer you a point of view from a person who is living in 2024 at almost 30 years old, how he sees that world, and also being clear that I could have perfectly dedicated myself to being a lawyer and could be that person standing there. Thank God Billy and I do not share the same values, because that would be screwed!” he added with a laugh.

Over the years, Chicago has invited several Latin stars to join the musical for short stints. The list includes Colombian actress Sofia Vergara, who in 2009 played the role of prison chief Matron “Mama” Morton, and Mexican singer and actor Jaime Camil, who in 2016 played Billy Flynn.

Yatra says he received the invitation about six months ago via email and that, although he was very surprised, he did not hesitate to accept this new challenge immediately.

“Many times you get a proposal like this and it’s easy to get scared and say, ‘Oh no, I’m not an actor, so let’s leave it for another time, in a couple of years.’ But opportunities come when they come in life and if you don’t dare to take them, you don’t know if they’ll come back,” he said, adding that it’s also “the right time” because he’s just starting to work on his fourth studio album, whose first single, “Los domingos,” came out last week.

The artist, who has said that 12 years ago he was fascinated by seeing Ricky Martin playing Che in the musical Avoid on Broadway, has already received the endorsement of his Puerto Rican friend and colleague, who commented on Wednesday in the publication from Yatra on Instagram about his foray into the Mecca of New York theater: “Yeah 🙌 we’ll be there bro. Of course. Congratulations.”

Currently preparing remotely, learning the script and taking acting classes, Yatra must arrive in New York to begin in-person rehearsals a month before his debut. It is an experience that has him extremely excited.

“Living in New York in December, with the snow, doing Broadway, is something I really want to live in the present, enjoy it, learn,” he said. “There are a million things to learn from all these people, both the actors, actresses, the crewthe directors, the production. It’s impeccable. I saw the play in New York recently and it really is like a little clock, so being able to adjust myself to become another piece of that clock is going to be nice.”

Chicago is being presented at the Ambassador Theatre in New York (219 W. 49th St.) For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com.