Christiane Noll to Play 'Sister Margaretta' in NBC'S THE SOUND OF MUSIC Special

Last week came the news that Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti and Christian Borle joined the cast of NBC's upcoming live broadcast of "The Sound of Music" as Mother Abbess, Elsa Schrader and Max Dettweiler respectively. Now, BroadwayWorld has confirmed that Tony nominee Christiane Noll will play Sister Margaretta in the show.

Additional casting has not yet been announced.

In 2010 Noll was seen on Broadway as Mother in the revival of Ragtime at the Neil Simon Theatre for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical. Additionally, she created the role of Emma in the Broadway production of Jekyll & Hyde in 1997 after playing the role in out-of-town tryouts. She also appeared on Broadway in the revue, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues (1999). Noll earned good notices for her performances as Kathie in The Student Prince in 2000 at the Paper Mill Playhouse and Marianne in City Center Encores! The New Moon (2003).

"The Sound of Music" will be presented as a live three-hour broadcast and will air on December 5 on NBC. Five-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood will star in the coveted role of Maria Von Trapp. Acclaimed British actor Stephen Moyer, best known to U.S. audiences for his role as Bill Compton in HBO's "True Blood, will portray decorated World War I hero Capt. Georg Von Trapp.

From Universal Television, "The Sound of Music" is executive produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan. Beth McCarthy-Miller and Rob Ashford will serve as directors. The live holiday production will be based on the original 1959 Broadway production of "The Sound of Music," which starred Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. The play won the Tony Award as best musical and Martin won as best actress.

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