Robyn Hurder Takes PEOPLE Backstage at “Chicago” as She Prepares to Bring 'All That Jazz' to Broadway (Exclusive)

The Tony nominee pens a personal diary of her time as Velma Kelly in the long-running hit

Robyn Hurder gives Broadway audiences the old razzle dazzle eight times a week as murderous vixen Velma Kelly in the long-running hit Chicago.

It's a role that the Tony Award-nominated stage veteran, last seen in the Broadway-bound musical Smash, has played to critical acclaim. But while many have seen her performance on stage, her life backstage is limited to just a few — until now.

In an exclusive diary, Hurder, 42, takes PEOPLE behind-the-scenes at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City as she prepares to take the stage. Her experience, told in her own words, comes alongside photos taken by photographer Michael Kushner for The Dressing Room Project.

Hurder is currently starring in Chicago opposite Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix, who wraps her run as Roxie Hart on Sept. 1 (see them singing "Nowadays" in a video from Broadway.com above). The actress will continue as Velma through Sept. 16.

Related: After a Miscarriage, Robyn Hurder Went Back to Broadway — and No One Knew the Pain She Endured

Chicago— about two killer women who use their criminal notoriety to find fame in the Vaudeville circuit — originally premiered in 1975, with legendary leading ladies Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera.

The show was a flop, but received a new appreciation when it was revived in 1996, this time with Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth. It went on to win six Tony Awards including best revival, and is Broadway’s longest-running American musical in history.

Originally choreographed by the great Bob Fosse, his former flame and longtime muse Reinking restored his moves for this production. The score — with music John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb — remained in tact, and includes some of the most beloved songs in the musical theater cannon like “All That Jazz,” “The Cell-Block Tango,” “When You’re Good to Momma" and "Razzle Dazzle.”

Read on to hear all about Hurder's experience in the show:

Dressing Room Diaries

The energy in a dressing room is very important to me. It needs to have a vibe. Whether it’s your ensemble spot in front of a single 2x2 mirror or a private room, it needs to make you feel a certain way in order to prepare properly for the show.

For me, the No. 1 feeling has always been "cozy." I want it to feel like I’m at home and I want people to feel like they’re welcome when they walk in.

Now, with the “Velma” dressing room, I call it my sublet. This room at the Ambassador has been a revolving door for over 2 decades. I love the history of all the legends that have been in front of this mirror. It fuels me.

However, I needed to add some "Robyn" to it. Pictures of my family and friends who ground me are always on the mirror and framed around the room. I always have some string of lights overhead, jazz is playing, and it will always smell like lavender or red currant.

Oh… and throat coat. There’s always a hot cup of throat coat wafting through the room.

Laughter and Light

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This is why I love shooting with Michael Kushner. He makes every room so comfortable and knows exactly what to say to make me laugh so he can get the perfect shot.

My favorite pictures of myself are the ones of me mid-laugh. Like this one. This is me.

Makeup Magic

Makeup for a show is everything. Your face is a canvas and you can’t paint the same picture for every different show, right? I live for a new makeup plot.

I love Chicago’s the most because it’s classic glam. Bold red lip with a dark smokey eye.

It’s been known that I am meticulous about my lips. I don’t know why, I just have always spent the most time on them. An obscene amount of time. The shading from dark to light has to be exactly right to get the perfect ombré effect.

Seeing Red

Listen, I am a blonde at heart. I have been blonde in every single Broadway show I’ve done. I knew coming back into Chicago, they were going to assume I was going to go back into a platinum blonde wig again, but I requested otherwise.

One of my biggest influences in my life is Jessica Rabbit. Yup, a cartoon. I watched her “Why Don’t You Do Right” number over and over again as a little girl and wanted to be her so badly. She has had so much influence on how I have (literally) shaped my career.

She was my inspiration behind Velma’s look. Strong, sexy, intimidating, and powerful.

However, since the role is so incredibly active, I needed to have it swept up and out of my face.

I told my story to Barry Ernst, our wig supervisor (pictured here) and our producer Barry Weissler, and they went for it. The red was a hit.

Full-Circle Feelings

Related: George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Robert Downey Jr. and All the Stars Heading to Broadway

I don’t know why, but this picture hits me deep. All I see is baby Robyn who had these big dreams of making it to New York and one day becoming a Broadway star.

I have a few similar pictures like this, a profile shot of me looking down, from my earlier years. One, when I was working on math problems in the first grade and then later on, I’m in dance class as a teenager putting on my point shoes.

Even though I’ve aged, the profile is still exactly the same….and the passion for what I want to do when I grow up remains just as strong. I’m very grateful for Michael recognizing this particular moment.

A Line in a Legacy

It always hits me when the first black sparkle halter dress goes on. I think about Bebe. I always say to myself before every show, “Honor her. Honor Chita. Honor Mr. Fosse and Kander and Ebb. Honor the work. Honor the legacy.

Not a second goes by in my day that I am not giving gratitude to what I’ve been blessed with. This role and this show is sacred and I love it with my whole being.

On my opening night, one of my best friends in the cast, Michael Scirrotto, made me an opening night card (you can peep it in the top left corner) that has Chita Rivera, Bebe Neuwirth, Amra Faye-Wright….and then me. I burst into tears.

I look at that card every night and think to myself, "I can’t believe I did it."

Raising the (Backstage) Bar

A tradition I started back in 2008 was a backstage “bar” named after whatever character I was playing.

For Grease it was "Marty Bar." When I came back into Chicago in 2017, it was "Mona Bar." But things really took off with "Bar Nini" when I was originating Moulin Rouge.

Putting up a big Broadway show and repeating the hard schedule of 8 shows a week can be incredibly grueling, so I wanted to have a moment with all departments of the production to come up to my room, have a little cocktail I made, and just chat, decompress, laugh and socialize with others you don’t always see day to day in the theater.

It’s amazing what a little hour after a show can do for morale. Well, these neon signs started being gifted to me for every dressing room and I guess it’s here to stay. For this room, as you can see, it’s "BarVel."

Girl Power

This is a huge reason why I love this show so much. Two women are leading the rodeo.

The story of Velma and Roxie is fascinating. Their stories begin with one at the top of their game (Velma), the other (Roxie) at the bottom. You then see the role reversal happen with Velma’s decline and Roxie’s rise to stardom.

These two women threaten each other, they fight, they scheme, they’re petty and cold and will do anything to "stay in the papers." But at the end of the day, when that news cycle is over and a new "trend" has come up, leaving them both in the dark, they put their differences aside and realize they’re stronger and better together.

On this particular night, the incredible Rachel Schur was playing Roxie.

With One Last Look

I’m not sure you could get a better "backstage" shot.

This is underneath the "Jury Box"-basically the set that the musicians are playing on. This is our backstage. It’s very intimate to say the least! The only place to warm up before the show are in the "alley ways," stage right and stage left.

Here you can see our swings Marty Lawson and Jennifer Dunne ready to go.

A few minutes after they call “places," the stage manager says, "OK Robyn, ready to get in the hole?” That “hole” is the elevator that I ride up at the beginning of “All That Jazz." The most fabulous entrance that has ever existed on Broadway.

At this moment, I’m about to turn the corner and get onto the platform where I am then lowered into the “hole.”

When Michael said "Robyn, look back at me," I knew I was going to have that moment captured and be so proud to show my grandchildren in 20, 30 years.

Down the Hatch

My stomach always flutters when I hear the grinding of the gears and begin the short descent into the hole. The responsibility becomes very real.

Velma begins as the narrator. She’s technically not “Velma” until "Cell Block Tango."

"All That Jazz" is the invitation to the audience. It’s the hardest number to perform. You need to be inviting but mysterious. You want to be charming but intimidating. Sexy but calm. You need to finish the number with the audience in palm of your and the entire casts hands. They should be excited, nervous, intrigued and ready to go on this two and a half hour journey with you.

That is what’s going on in my brain down there in the box as I’m doing my little warm up in my 3 x 3 square as the "Overture" plays out. Invite them, give ‘em the old razzle dazzle, but most importantly, tell the story… and all the jazz.

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Tickets for Chicago are on sale now at chicagothemusical.com.

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