Leakes ("Glee," "The New Normal") succeeds "The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd, who began performances as Madame Sept. 9.
The production currently stars Keke Palmer ("Just Keke" "Trip to Bountiful," "Akeelah and the Bee," Joyful Noise") as Cinderella opposite Tony winner (Nice Work If You Can Get It, , ) as her fairy godmother.
Cinderella also features as Prince Topher, as stepsister Charlotte, as stepsister Gabrielle, as Sebastian, Prince Topher's mentor and Lord Chancellor, as the rebel Jean-Michel and as Lord Pinkleton.
The Broadway production will end its run Jan. 3, 2015, after playing 41 previews and 770 regular performances. Directed by (The Lyons, Cry-Baby), the new production of Cinderella began Broadway previews Jan. 25, 2013, and officially opened March 3. The musical has songs by lyricist and composer .
Cinderella, which premiered as a 1957 television film starring in the title role, has been updated for contemporary audiences with a new book by four-time Tony Award nominee (The Nance, Sister Act, Xanadu, Lysistrata Jones, The Little Dog Laughed).
His treatment recharts the journey of the classic tale in a new way. Retaining all classic elements of the fairytale, Beane and the creative team offer audiences a fresh take that gives the female heroine a stronger point of view.
The new production incorporates rarely-heard songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue, including "Loved and Learned," "Now Is the Time," "Me, Who Am I?" and "The Music in You." Also featured are standards from the original television version, including "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible/It's Possible," "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"
Cinderella is produced by , Jill Furman, , Edward Walson, Venetian Glass Productions, The Araca Group, Luigi Caiola & Rose Caiola, , Walt Grossman, Peter May/Sanford Robertson, Glass Slipper Productions/Eric Schmidt, Ted Liebowitz/James Spry, Blanket Fort Productions and is produced in association with . Charles Salameno is associate producer.
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