Laura Benanti Wins Leading Role in Upcoming Wedding Singer Musical

Laura Benanti has won the role of Julia in the upcoming musical version of The Wedding Singer. She is expected to star alongside Stephen Lynch in the tuner.

Benanti earned Tony nominations for her featured work in Swing! and Into the Woods and also appeared on Broadway in Nine and The Sound of Music. Her off-Broadway credits include Time and Again and the Encores! mounting of Wonderful Town. She is one of the stars of the television season Starved, which premieres on FX in August. She is currently filming the motion picture Take the Lead with Nine co-star Antonio Banderas.

The Wedding Singer, which is based on the 1998 film of the same name, features music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin and a book by screenwriter Tim Herlihy and Beguelin. John Rando is expected to direct, and Rob Ashford is expected to choreograph the musical.

The Wedding Singer centers on Robbie Hart, the ultimate master of ceremonies… until he is left at the altar and becomes a newlywed's worst nightmare: an entertainer who destroys other people's weddings. Enter the warm-hearted waitress Julia who becomes Robbie's dream girl--if he can save her from marrying someone else.

The Wedding Singer will premiere at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, where it is scheduled to run from January 31 through February 19. The show is aiming for an April 2006 Broadway bow.