Anthony Warlow to star as Billy Flynn in Chicago Australian tour.

But the veteran 61-year-old performer is about to tick another item off the bucket list when Chicago returns to Australian stages this month.

The hit musical will debut at Perth's Crown Theatre on November 21, ahead of seasons in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide next year.

Anthony will star as the cunning and charismatic defence lawyer Billy Flynn in the show - which is set in 1920s Chicago and harks back to the jazz era. Billy is tasked with defending housewife and nightclub dancer Roxie Hart after she murders her lover.

The veteran musical theatre star - who first saw the show in 1996, said the role was one he had long coveted.

"For me it has been something of a bucket list role to play," he said.

"I've done a myriad of different characters, and played larger than life characters, and while this is a vaudeville, Billy is really the straight man with a lot of carrying on around him. I'm enjoying that."

While he had enjoyed a successful career prior, it was starring in the titular role in the Australian debut of Andrew Lloyd-Weber's smash hit musical Phantom of the Opera from 1990-91 which catapulted Anthony to stardom.

While the experience was a career highlight, he said he found the challenge of taking on the role quite daunting, particularly having to step into the shoes of Michael Crawford - who performed the role to such great acclaim on both the West End and Broadway.

"I wanted to do it, but it was a frightening experience to see who'd come before me. I relished it, it really did put me on the map."

He also enjoyed the chance to revisit the role from 2007-2009, saying the fact he knew the songs so well really gave him a chance to flesh out the character.

So what were his favourite roles throughout the course of his career?

Anthony said he couldn't go past Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha - a role he has played three times.

His other favourite role was Archie Craven in The Secret Garden. He formed a close friendship with Lucy Simon, who wrote the music for the show, and she went on to write the role of Dr Zhivago specifically for Anthony's voice.

He was also selected as the best Enjolras in the world in 1988, leading to him singing on the complete symphonic recording of Les Misérables alongside fellow Aussie cast members Philip Quast and Debra Byrne.

His debut role on Broadway as Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks in Annie was another highlight. Anthony said he was nervous about playing such an "iconic" American character as an Aussie in his debut role on Broadway, but as it turned out, he needn't have worried.

One night after the show, a woman from the audience approached him to commend him on his performance, asking him which part of New York he was from.

The role even earnt him high praise from beloved Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, whom he met at an awards presentation.

"Tom came up to me and said 'I saw you, I took my family to Annie and you were fantastic'," he said.

The role would also earn him a number of prestigious Broadway award nominations, including Drama Desk, Drama League and People's Choice awards. He won the Washington based Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for Man of La Mancha in 2015.

While he made his name in musical theatre, Anthony started in opera, and has continued to go back to opera and operetta throughout the years.

He even got to work with the incomparable Dame Joan Sutherland twice in The Tales of Hoffmann and Semiramide.

"She was beautiful, just down to earth, knew her stuff, totally professional.

"Performing with her on stage was just a masterclass in itself - just experiencing the wonderful machine that produced those sounds."

Anthony is extremely excited about Chicago, reserving high praise for his co-stars - including Zoë Ventoura as Velma Kelly, Lucy Maunder as Roxie Hart and Peter Rowsthorn as Roxy's husband, Amos.

He praised the show for its "very smart script" and "extraordinary" choreography.

Based on the 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, with a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, the score features showstoppers such as All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango and Razzle Dazzle.

Perth: Crown Theatre from November 21. Bookings: 136-100 or click here and search Chicago.

Brisbane: Lyric Theatre, QPAC from January 2. Bookings: 136-246 or click here and search Chicago.

Melbourne: Her Majesty's Theatre from March 23. Bookings: 132-849 or click here and search Chicago.

Sydney: Capitol Theatre from June 9. Bookings 136-100 or click here and search Chicago.

Adelaide: Festival Theatre from August 4. Bookings 131 246 or click here and search Chicago.