The Light in the Piazza is Handing Out CD Samplers in Playbills

Audience members at The Light in the Piazza should be extra-careful with their Playbills--a free two-song disc might slip out.

Nonesuch Records (who will release the show's cast recording on May 24th) has been giving audiences a preview of the Adam Guettel score since May 17th; the CD sampler features recordings of "Dividing Day" (sung by Victoria Clark) and "Say It Somehow" (sung by Kelli O'Hara and Matthew Morrison).  The CDs will be placed in Playbills until May 29th.

The upcoming release of the full cast recording is well-timed, as Tony voters will get to hear the CD before they turn in their ballots.  The Light in the Piazza went into the recording studios on April 25th.

The Light in the Piazza, which is set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953, tells the bittersweet story of Clara Johnson (O'Hara), the childlike woman whose love affair with a smitten Italian (Morrison) is impeded by her mother (Clark).

The musical, which is based on the 1960 novella by Elisabeth Spencer, also stars Michael Berresse, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Patti Cohenour, Beau Gravitte and Mark Harelik. Bartlett Sher directs, while Guettel's score is set to Craig Lucas' book.

Ted Sperling (musical direction), Michael Yeargan (sets), Catherine Zuber (costumes) and Christopher Akerlind (lights) comprise the musical's creative team.

Having already won five Drama Desk Awards on May 22nd, The Light in the Piazza is nominated for 11 Tonys--Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actress in a Musical (Clark), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Morrison), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (O'Hara), Best Direction of a Musical, Best Orchestrations, Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Best Costume Design of a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical.

The Light in the Piazza, which opened on April 18th after beginning previews on March 17th, is playing at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre (150 W. 65th St.).  For tickets, visit www.telecharge.com.