Casting will be announced soon for a major Broadway revival of the 1955 Cole Porter musical, Silk Stockings.

Based on the 1939 Ernst Lubitsch film, Ninotchka, the original show had a book by Leueen MacGrath, George S. Kaufman and Abe Burrows (though Theatrical Index writes that MacGrath and Kaufman were fired during Philadelphia try-outs). The musical comedy tells the story of a beautiful but icy Soviet Communist functionary who comes to Paris and discovers, with the help of a charming American, that decadent capitalism isn't so bad after all.

Ken Friedman is adapting the new text, keeping the basic story and songs from the 1957 Rouben Mamoulian film. Porter tunes anticipated for the new Parade include "Night And Day," "Just One Of Those Things," "All Of You," and "Let's Do It." The new version will also interpolate other Cole Porter songs not in the original show or movie.

Heavily dance-driven, the Parisian romantic-comedy musical will be directed and choreographed by Tony Stevens (choreographer of Off-Broadway's Zombie Prom and Sheba). Said Jeff Chrzczon [sic] of Niko Associates, "Workshops are starting in early June for five weeks of rewrites. We then go into production for a tour beginning in San Jose, Jan. 1998, hopefully to come to Broadway in fall 1998 or spring 1999. We should be announcing casting soon."

What was the impetus for a revival of this light-hearted musical? "Because Cole Porter is never out of style," said Chrzczon. --By David Lefkowitz