‘Wheel of Fortune’: Future Broadway Star Loses $40,000 on Music-Themed Show

Wheel of Fortune kicked off iHeartRadio Week, which was filled with musical clues, prizes, and contestants related to the field. At the end of the week, the three biggest winners will face off against each other to win even more money.

Chris Richie, from Mobile, Alabama, played against Avita Broukhim, from Los Angeles, California, and Andrea Conley, from Prosper, Texas, on Monday’s (April 7) episode. Richie is an aspiring Broadway performer and grew up in a musical household with a mom who was a gospel singer.

Due to it being iHeartRadio Week, all of the clues had to do with music. The toss-ups were the categories “Song Lyrics” and “Showbiz.” Brokukhim, a musical theater lover who puts on a one-woman show for her friends and family, got the Wild Card on the first puzzle, “The Hits From Coast to Coast,” and solved it, earning $10,100 and a trip to a Nashville, Tennessee, music festival.

For the “Before & After” Puzzle, Richie solved it after Conley, a mom of two daughters who loves listening to music, landed on Bankrupt. He solved all of the letters, only having to say the puzzle — “Scratching Post Malone.” Conley gained some money in her bank on the next puzzle, which was “Song Lyrics.” After solving, “You’re my better half,” she won a trip to see Keith Urban at his Chicago stop on tour. This put her at $9,350.

All of the Triple Toss-Ups were song titles with colors in them. Richie solved two out of the three of them. Only $50 separated Richie and Conley before the final puzzle. With only three letters solved in the final puzzle, Richie solved “Nailed It,” securing his place in the Bonus Round with $12,800. Conley went home with $11,350. Broukhim was in a close third with $10,100.

Richie chose “Event” for the bonus puzzle. He brought his godmother and two friends with him.

After Wheel gave him “R, S, T, L, N, and E,” Richie chose “P, M, C, and A.” His puzzle then looked like “MA_ _ R  _ _CT_R_.”

As the clock counted down, Richie said, “Major…. holiday, factory,” but he couldn’t guess the second word. Host Ryan Seacrest told him it was “Major Victory” and he lost out on an additional $40,000. The game show contestant will most likely not be back on Friday.

Despite not making it to Broadway yet, Richie has acted in local Oklahoma shows, including Kinky Boots, Matilda, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and more, according to Backstage.