Marissa Jaret Winokur Joins Sleepless in Seattle Musical; Rosie O'Donnell Dubs Casting 'Perfect!'

Eight years after winning a Best Actress Tony Award for playing Tracy Turnblad (created onscreen by Ricki Lake) in the Broadway stage adaptation of Hairspray, Marissa Jaret Winokur is about to tackle another role made famous by a TV talk show host: Winokur is currently at work on a staged reading of a musical version of Sleepless in Seattle, in which she'll play quirky best friend Becky, a role created in the 1993 hit film by Broadway vet Rosie O'Donnell. The musical is set to premiere at California's Pasadena Playhouse in June 2012, directed by Joel Zwick; no other casting has been revealed.

Winokur announced her new gig via Twitter, and the casting choice was quickly approved by O'Donnell herself. "I start today for a week working on a new musical version of Sleepless in Seattle, can't wait to meet the cast!" Winokur tweeted, prompting O'Donnell to respond on her own account by saying, "Fantastic! Are you playing me?" When Winokur said yes, O'Donnell gave the actress her blessing, writing, "Perfect, perfect, perfect!"

A starstruck Winokur continued the Twitter lovefest, writing to O'Donnell, "I saw you on the cover of Oprah at the grocery store. I thought it was a sign! I had to say yes [to the role]. I wish my 16-year-old self knew how my life would turn out! Getting messages from [Rosie O'Donnell] to play her would have made puberty easier!"

Two readings of Sleepless in Seattle took place last year featuring Megan Hilty as Annie and J. Robert Spencer as Sam, roles originated on screen by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Plans for a musical adaptation of the movie were originally announced in 2009, with sights set on a 2011 Broadway debut. The show features songs by Michelle Citrin, Michael Garin and Josh Nelson and a book by Jeff Arch, who co-wrote the film's screenplay with director Nora Ephron.

Sleepless in Seattle follows Sam, a Seattle widower whose young son convinces him to discuss his grief on a radio talk show. Women from around the country are touched by his broadcast, including Annie, a Baltimore newspaper reporter, who writes to Sam and suggests they meet at the top of the Empire State Building.

Winokur made her Broadway debut as a replacement Jan in the 1994 revival of Grease, which featured O'Donnell in its opening cast. After scoring a Tony Award in Hairspray, Winokur returned to the Broadway company for two additional engagements and reprised the role at in a recent Hollywood Bowl staging of the musical. Her film and TV credits include The Talk, Scary Movie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Stacked, Fever Pitch and Dancing with the Stars.