Rumor Patrol: Show's Reps Say No Abdul in IN THE HEIGHTS

Press reps for the Broadway production of IN THE HEIGHTS told BroadwayWorld.com this morning that the rumors about Paula Abdul joining the show are "NOT true."

Radar Online had reported that former American Idol judge Paula Abdul will make her Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical in the coming months, taking over for Priscilla Lopez. The magazine had reported that "Paula has been in talks with producers for severAl Weeks and made a special overnight trip to New York on March 17 just to see the successful Broadway show" and that Kenny Ortega, who will be directing the screen adaptation of IN THE HEIGHTS, is "hot to have her choreograph the film version."

What is true is that Abdul did recently see the show, and visited with the cast after the performance. Click here to see BroadwayWorld's exclusive photo coverage of her appearance!

In the Heights opened on Broadway to wide critical acclaim on March 9, 2008, and continues to play the Richard Rodgers Theatre. In addition to winning the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's creator, won the Tony Award for Best Music and Lyrics; Andy Blankenbuehler won for Best Choreography; and Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman won for Best Orchestrations. The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, and Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on the smash hit musical.

For more information, visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com