Former NFL star George brings power game to ‘Chicago’
He also played Billy Flynn on Broadway
From the great actor Jerry Orbach to stunt-cast celebrities such as Jerry Springer, many people have played Billy Flynn, the slick defense attorney in the musical “Chicago.” But none has ever moved the pile like Eddie George, the former National Football League star and Heisman Trophy winner, who brings a distinctly muscular quality to Flynn’s “Razzle Dazzle.”
George, who played the role on Broadway last year, now leads the touring company of “Chicago,” which will perform April 25-30 at the Marcus Center, 929 N. Water St.
Starring in the Kander and Ebb musical is not a celebrity lark for George, who has performed “Julius Caesar” and “Othello” at the Nashville Shakespeare Festival and, most remarkably, Hebrew-speaking former slave Simon in a production of “The Whipping Man.”
“Eddie George’s performance as Simon should quiet any lingering doubts about his transition from professional football to professional theater,” wrote the Nashville Tennessean’s Amy Stumpfl in her review of “The Whipping Man.” “He’s rather young for the role, but offers a nicely measured performance that sidesteps some of the script’s heavier touches of sentimentality, and his final moments on stage are quite powerful.”
Giving eight performances of “Chicago” in a week on the road may sound like a grind, but George is a famous workhouse. He played every game for eight straight seasons for the Houston Oilers/ Tennessee Titans (1996-2003). As the team’s star running back, he carried the ball more than 300 times each of those seasons, peaking in 2000 with 403 carries, one of the highest totals in NFL history.
In a recent phone interview, George said he continues a vigorous workout schedule of at least three to four days a week: “It’s my lifestyle, and I want to continue to be able to have the energy to do shows physically for a long period of time.”
Following his football career, George has forged an impressive second act. Beyond his stage work,
he earned an MBA from Northwestern University, collaborates with several partners in a wealth management business and has starred in a yoga for strength video.
How is he most like Flynn, the “Chicago” mastermind? George said he treats any apparent setback like “a blessing or an opportunity.”