Katie Clarke to play Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza

So I can't say I ever knew this girl very well, but I did go to college with her and she was in one of the last shows I stage managed before graduating. I think she was a sophomore when I was a senior. Anyways, she's now taking over the lead in a major Broadway play just seconds after graduating herself! Way to go Katie! Someone from college said when she auditioned, she already had the entire play memorized. Talk about preparation. And for all of you non theatre nerds and non drama queens, The Light in the Piazza was one of the major Broadway powerhouses last season (2005). It won 6 Tony awards (Best Leading Actress, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Orchestration), the most out of any other musical or show that season. It also won 5 Drama Desk awards and 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards. You don't have to pretend to know what those are. This is supposed to be a beautiful show, although I haven't seen it myself (gimme a break...it was hard enough just to get Jason and Michael to go see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels when we were in NYC...!) So here's the article about Broadway's new leading lady!!

Katie Clarke to play Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza
Katie Clarke will assume the role of Clara Johnson in the The Light In The Piazza from the 16 Dec 2005.
Kelli O'Hara, who originated the role of Clara will play her final performance on the 4 Dec 2005. Jennifer Hughes, who understudies the role, will perform the role of Clara the 6 - 15 Dec 2005.
Katie Clarke, who will be making her New York stage debut in The Light In The Piazza, has appeared in her native Texas in Anything Goes at Houston's Theater Under The Stars and in The Exonerated, Ragtime, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Anything Goes and The Sound of Music at Sam Houston State University, where she'll graduate with a BFA in Musical Theatre next month. In 2004 she was a featured soloist in Tony Award winning choreographer Ann Reinking's Broadway Theatre Project.
The Light In The Piazza is currently booking to the 26 Mar 2006 at the Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre. The show opened on the 18 Apr 2005, following previews from the 17 Mar2005.
The Light In The Piazza has music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, with book by Craig Lucas.
The Light In The Piazza based on the novella by Elizabeth Spencer, is set in the summer of 1953 and tells the story of a mother and daughter traveling through Italy, and the daughter's romance with a handsome, high-spirited Florentine. They fall in love. As their relationship develops, the girl's mother must reveal the truth that will surely test that love.
The cast, directed by Bartlett Sher, includes Glenn Seven Allen, Michael Berresse, Sarah Uriarte Berry, David Bonanno, David Burnham, Victoria Clark, Patti Cohenour, Beau Gravitte, Laura Griffith, Chris Sarandon, Prudence Wright Holmes, Jennifer Hughes, Felicity LaFortune, Catherine LaValle, Michel Moinot, Aaron Lazar, Peter Samuel, Joseph Siravo, Diane Sutherland.
The Light In The Piazza has set design by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and sund by ACME Sound Partners.
The show opened to average notices from the popular press, Michael Kuchwara of the Assoiciated Press said "A show of considerable beauty — more melodically, emotionally and visually satisfying than any other musical this," while Ben Brentley of the New York Times wrote "Encouragingly ambitious and discouragingly unfulfilled new show."
newyorktheatreguide.com's reviewer, Polly Wittenberg, wrote of Victoria Clark's performance as being "exceptionally warm, subtle and powerful... She clearly deserves billing above the title." and went on to say "I can’t say enough good things about the lovely set by Michael Yeargan, the handsome costumes by Catherine Zuber, and the mystical lighting by Christopher Akerlind except that they made me want to go and book a room overlooking the Arno immediately."