Star-Studded 'Chicago' Company Rocks Hollywood Bowl

What's up guys? Leslie Robbins here for Young Hollywood. I have never been more excited to be on a shoot than I am today. I have crashed the rehearsal of the Hollywood Bowl's production of Chicago and this A-list cast is on fire. I wouldn't leave it. Samantha Hot off of Le Miz. Now you're doing Chicago live. I just watched rehearsal. You kicked ass, girl.

Oh, thank you so much. It was like, it was crazy. It was like, we've just learned it and then it was like someone's like putting red lipstick on. It was like, go. I was like, but it was it was just it's it was so much fun. And when the whole ensemble come together in that way and it's like it's oh, it's a really exciting feeling.

I'm a musical theater girl and I just wanted to join you guys and get in the pack and

You should have done. I would have welcomed you into the gang. Like, I'd have been like, make space. We got another one. Did you hear that? I'm saying next time you might want to hop in over my shoulder. I'll get you in there.

Your directorial debut. You're directing a show that you've been the lead. Roxy, Broadway, London. How does it feel?

Oh my goodness. It's unbelievable to be on the other side. I mean, I was worried that I was going to just like go, I want to be there, I want to be there because I I see the show in New York and I want to be on stage. Um but beyond my ego. Um, it is it's so great to be able to express how much I love every single aspect of how the book works with the choreography, works with the orchestration and the music and the lyrics. I mean, it's such a brilliantly crafted piece.

Actually, Simpson, reprising the role that you did in London and on Broadway. How does it feel to put the shoes back on, the outfit back on?

It feels good. It feels so good. Um, we're having a blast and this show is just incredible and everyone here, having Brooke, she's amazing. And getting to see our, you know, faces that I know, like the choreographer and that I've worked with it's just it's fun to get back in Chicagoland.

Well, do you miss Chicagoland back on Broadway?

You know, I always miss theater, so this is a great opportunity.

Well, let's talk about your role, mama.

Yeah, I'm playing Mama Morton. Um, a uh corrupt prison official. It's fun. A lot of heart. I I'm playing a bad girl with a heart. Can you believe it?

Well, I can believe it because what don't you do? I interviewed you at Parks and Rec. You're everywhere. You do everything.

Don't cook. My children said even my sandwiches don't taste right. Please stop cooking, mommy. I tell you what, this is Broadway boot camp right here because this production team is so experienced and and they're insistent that you be give a very faithful rendition of the uh that cander and they been tended and a Foy interpretation. Um, so I have learned so much in the last week and it's it's been a privilege.

You know what I love about your story? We found you on a reality show and you didn't even win it, but yet you have won, girl.

I was a loser. It was just like, I was 17 and it was I'd moved down to London on my own at 16 and I was like, I'm going to go for it. Went for it at 17 and then I was on tour. You know, by by the end of by 18, I was on tour playing Sally Bowls. So like looking back, I was like, what? Like it was you know, it was kind of it's kind of an odd way in to the industry. But I'm you know, grateful for every step along the way and it's um and yeah, and here I am.

Rob, you are conducting an incredible cast, and I said incredible. I don't know another word to describe this cast. They are fantastic and some of them surprises. We don't always expect our TV people to be great singers and dancers, and we found them, and they're doing fantastically well. It's it's it's impressive how much has happened in four days. So take me into a director's mind now that you shifted gears.

Um, sleepless, crazy. I'm a psychiatrist, I'm a politician. Let's see. That's what that's what it is. The the creative part comes eventually. Um, you just you have to care about everything. You know, I have to care. I know it's not hard. I mean, I do care about every ensemble's hair. I have to care about their lip color. I have to care about if they're all beveling properly. I have to care about that there's truth behind the book scenes, you know, that that we're you know, that we're in the world so 100%.

I was watching you from the side and you look like a proud mama bear, just so happy.

I'm always always going. It's like, what are you doing? I'm like doing all the numbers and all the things, you know, just to it it just helps, you know, they they need to know too that I'm in there with them.

I see more of this in your future. I think it's a role that suits you. Stephen, taking over the role of Billy Flynn. Kick ass job in there.

Thank you very much.

Did you see some of that just then? I saw it all and I just wanted to join you guys and put my character shoes on and

Did you used to do that? Did you used to do a bit of twirling?

My entire life. I was born on a stage, music theater. And as were you, all right, so you basically are destined DNA. It's in your blood. Did you get any advice from your sister, your parents on how to manage all of this?

Uh for me, I grew up dancing, so that was, you know, theater something you always kind of strive to do as a dancer. Um, when I was a child, I remember my first play I ever saw was lay Miz.

Do you have like a memory of your musical theater days back when you were really young and starting out?

I mean, I I my pre-days are like I can remember singing like on my own in my room as loud as I could, you know what I mean? Um, or, you know, any songs from Cats and Wicked. So, I mean, that's kind of my fun days, but theater is exciting, you never know what's going to happen. It's great.

And the fact that Samantha is in your cast from Le Miz. Did you guys just sing in the bathroom together?

No, it's a blast working with her. It's been so much fun. She's great as a as well.

I think maybe next time you take over for Roxy somewhere, somehow or Billy Flynn. Now with now with that body, I'm sorry, you're not stepping into any Billy Flynn roll. But I think you could do it. You're talented enough.

Oh no, no, no. I'll I'll leave that to Stephen. He's he rocks it out.