The name on everyone’s lips is gonna be… Shiri! As Israeli singer and Eurovision 2005 representative Shiri Maimon looks all set to play Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago on Broadway, New York.
According to reports in the Israeli and international media, artist Shiri Maimon has favourably passed auditions for a lead role in Chicago. Although yet to be officially confirmed by the singer and her management, the negotiations seem to be pointing positively at Shiri Maimon’s debut on Broadway, New York, the United States.
Shiri Maimon is no stranger when it comes to performing on the theatre stage. She played in the stage adaption of the movie The Band and had an acclaimed lead role as Evita Perón in the musical Evita at Tel Aviv’s renowned Habima Theatre. In fact, it was Shiri Maimon’s portrayel of Evita that apparently drew the attention of Chicago‘s American executives. They finally invited the singer to travel to the United States and audition for the role of the wayward chorus girl Roxie Hart, and successfully, so it seems.
If all falls into place, Shiri Maimon will follow in the footsteps of stars such as Brooke Shields, Liza Minnelli, Melanie B, Melanie Griffith, Rumer Willis and Renée Zellweger, all of whom starred as Roxie Hart. Moreover, she may join the ranks of acclaimed Israeli actors Chaim Topol, Theodore Bikel and Mike Burstyn, who graced the Broadway stages.
Who knows, Shiri Maimon might even make it to the famed silver screen of Hollywood blockbusters, just as fellow Israeli star Gal Gadot.
If all goes well, Shiri Maimon will star as Roxie Hart in Chicago from September 2018.
(Sources: haaretz.com, israel21c.org, ynetnews.com)
About Shiri Maimon
Shiri Maimon (Haifa, 1981) is an Iraeli pop and R&B singer of Sephardic Jewish descent (including Algerian-, Greek-, and Syrian Jewish roots). She is also an actress and TV host.
Shiri Maimon began singing at age ten, and had her major breakthrough when she participated in the music contest Kokhav Nolad (A Star Is Born, the Israeli version of Pop Idol) in 2003, placing 2nd.
In 2005, Shiri Maimon represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, Ukraine. With her powerful ballad HaSheket SheNish’ar (The silence that remains), sung in Hebrew and English, she eventually reached an honourable 4th place in the Grand Final, receiving 154 points.
Shiri Maimon also recorded an all-English version of the song, titled Time to say goodbye.
Shiri Maimon has evolved into a popular Israeli artist, releasing various albums. She is also a judge in the talent show The X Factor Israel, and has ventured into acting in the soap opera Yeladot Ra’ot (Bad Girls), and on stage in the musical version of the Israeli cult movie The Band.
Enjoy Shiri Maimon performing HaSheket SheNish’ar at the Grand Final of Eurovision 2005:
