Singer-actor Ivy to make Broadway debut in 'Chicago' as Roxie Hart

Making her Broadway debut in the original 'Chicago'

First lead casting of a Korean license star in the original production

Has played Roxie more than any other Korean actor since 2012

Set to perform in New York for three weeks from Aug. 17

Actor Ivy, who will make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago" [Shinsicompany]

"I kept digging one well, and this opportunity came. Playing Roxie Hart in another language — it feels like a miracle to me."

Singer-turned-musical-actor Ivy is heading to Broadway. A homegrown Korean performer who has appeared only in the licensed Korean production, she has been tapped to play the lead in the original show — marking her entry onto the musical's home turf. Having played Roxie Hart more than 600 times, more than any other Korean actor, Ivy says the role mirrors her own life as a performer.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday at Chungmu Art Center in Seoul, Ivy said she felt the weight of representing Korean musical theater. "I feel a great sense of responsibility and pressure, going as a representative of Korean musical actors," she said. "I'm excited, but also scared."

Ivy will take the stage at the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway, performing as Roxie Hart in "Chicago" — one of Broadway's longest-running musicals — from Aug. 17 through Sept. 6, a run of roughly three weeks. Outlets including BroadwayWorld and the New York Theatre Guide announced that "Korean pop star and musical actor Ivy is making her Broadway debut," quoting a line from the show: "The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Ivy!"

The casting did not happen overnight. It came after a grueling year-long process that included three rounds of video auditions. The biggest hurdle was English.

"I've only been studying English for about a year and a half," Ivy said. "The show is so deeply American that I thought there was almost no chance someone with a Korean accent could stand on the 'Chicago' stage."

Singer and actor Ivy poses at a press conference announcing her Broadway debut in the musical "Chicago," held Tuesday at Chungmu Art Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]

The audition process was grueling, testing her limits at every turn. Feedback from the American creative team arrived every three to four months and was unsparing. She had to perform two of Roxie Hart's signature numbers and a lengthy monologue — all in English. The production team sent a constant stream of notes: vowel pronunciation in the first round, subtle intonation in the second.

"The Korean version of Roxie has a high-pitched quality, but in the English version the placement of the sound is completely different," Ivy said. "I had to shift my vocal placement downward to follow the breathing of a native speaker."

To push past those limits, she trained intensively with nine native-speaking instructors on weekdays — working with acting coaches, voice actors and performance specialists on everything from business English to stage diction. The sessions continue to this day.

In fact, this was not the first time a Broadway opportunity had come her way. Park Myung-sung, producer at Shinsicompany, said the American creative team had previously expressed interest in putting Korean and Japanese actors on the Broadway stage, but doubts remained about whether Korean performers could hold their own in English. "'Chicago' is full of satire and slang — it's very hard to pull off without a strong command of English," Park said. Ivy agreed: "Back then, I could barely say anything beyond introducing myself. I thought it was out of the question."

Then, two to three years ago, the original creative team again proposed an audition for Ivy through Park. "They had been watching what she was doing in Korea," Park said. "I told her, 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge — let's go for it.'" For Ivy, the desire to push herself made the difference. She began studying with the thought that "even if it doesn't work out, at least my English will have improved" — and ultimately earned her Broadway debut.

Ivy as Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago" [Shinsicompany]

Park said he has long believed Korean actors can compete on any stage in the world. "This opportunity is the result of Ivy's own passion and spirit of challenge," he said.

The Broadway production team also took note of her dedication. "We were amazed by the commitment she showed in relearning the show from scratch in English," the team said. "The progress she has made is remarkable. She is a true triple threat — singing, dancing and acting."

"Chicago" has been a perennial favorite in Korea for more than two decades. Set in 1920s Chicago, the show follows convicted murderers Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart as they are turned into public celebrities. It is based on real murder cases documented by Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins in 1926. Since its Korean premiere in 2000, the production has been one of the top two highest-grossing shows in Shinsicompany's history, alongside "Mamma Mia!"

Ivy, who has played Roxie Hart more times than any other Korean actor, in the musical "Chicago" [Shinsicompany]

Ivy's connection to "Chicago" runs deep. She first played Roxie Hart in the Korean production in 2012 and has returned to the role repeatedly over the past decade and more.

"I am the actor who has played Roxie Hart the most in Korea," she said. "My life as a performer is just like Roxie's — the hunger to become a star, the savvy to navigate a crisis, the strength and positive mindset. She resembles me." Having nurtured the character with such care over so many years, Ivy said again and again that performing the show in a different language, in the city most associated with the musical, "feels like a miracle."

Ivy's Broadway debut marks a significant milestone for Korean musical theater. Korean actors have made inroads on Broadway before, but mostly in ensemble or touring roles. Ivy, by contrast, will take on a lead role with extensive English dialogue and songs at the heart of Broadway. "Ivy's Broadway debut proves to the world how far Korean musical theater has risen," Park said.

With her departure expected as early as next week, Ivy's goal is to deliver a fully realized performance through complete command of the language. "I'm 100 percent Korean-born, but my goal is to deliver the dialogue and songs in English perfectly on the New York stage and convey the show's message the right way," she said.

"I will leave a Roxie Hart on the Broadway stage that I can be proud of. I hope my challenge opens the door for more Korean actors to make it to Broadway. It has been 16 years since my stage debut, and I want to show that you can achieve something even if you're older, even if your English isn't perfect, even if you're not a star — and I want to give many people the courage to dream. I'll come back having shown the world what Korean musical actors are made of."

shee@heraldcorp.com