Peter Gallagher to Star Opposite Kristin Chenoweth in ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY?

It has long been buzzed about that Broadway favorite Kristin Chenoweth will return to Broadway next in an upcoming revival of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. A production in 2014 has long been rumoured, but nothing has yet been announced. Another hot topic of speculation is who might be Chenoweth's co-star should the production go forward.

Today in the NY Post, Michael Riedel writes "Chenoweth has another show in her future - a revival of Cy Coleman's 1978 operetta "On the Twentieth Century," which she hopes to do with Peter Gallagher.

She'd play Lily Garland, the temperamental movie star (Madeline Kahn in the original). It's a perfect role for her, and she generated good buzz when she appeared in a reading at the Roundabout a couple of years ago."

Gallagher has appeared on Broadway in productions ranging from the classic musical Guys & Dolls to Eugene O'Neill's epic Long Day's Journey into Night as well on screen in acclaimed films including sex, lies & videotape, The Player and American Beauty, among others. Currently Gallagher can be seen on the small screen in the role of Arthur Campbell on USA's Covert Affairs and as Whitney's dad Vince on NBC's Whitney.

On the Twentieth Century is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Part operetta, part farce, part screwball comedy, the story involves the behind-the-scenes relationship of a temperamental actress and a director. Following a Boston tryout at the Colonial Theatre, the Broadway production, directed by Hal Prince and choreographed by Larry Fuller, opened on February 19, 1978 at the St. James Theatre to mixed reviews. It ran for 11 previews and 449 performances.

The show has never been revived on Broadway; however, as part of an Actors Fund benefit, a one-night-only staged concert was held on September 26, 2005 at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The production starred Marin Mazzie as Lily, Douglas Sills as Oscar, Joanne Worley as Letitia Primrose and Christopher Sieber as Bruce, as well as appearances by Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Max Jacobs, Cheyenne Jackson as one of the "Life is Like a Train" porters, and Kathleen Turner as Imelda.

Chenoweth is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999), for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical Wicked (2003). Her best-known television role is Annabeth Schott in NBC's The West Wing. As Olive Snook on the ABC comedy-drama Pushing Daisies, she won a 2009 Emmy Award. For more information on Kristin Chenoweth visit: www.KristinChenoweth.com

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos