Christopher Ashley, who staged the play's world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse, directs the New York City debut. Previews began April 30 for the run currently scheduled through June 13 at the company's East Village home.

In Restoration, Shear plays "Giulia, a down-on-her-luck art restorer from Brooklyn who receives what could possibly be a career-reviving job of 'refreshing' Michelangelo's David in time for its quincentennial celebration in Florence," according to NYTW notes.

The cast includes original La Jolla cast members Shear (Dirty Blonde), Alan Mandell (The Beard of Avon) and Natalija Nogulich (The Iceman Cometh) with newcomers Jonathan Cake (The Philanthropist, "Six Degrees") and Tina Benko (Irena's Vow). (Cake replaced the previously announced Danny Mastrogiorgio.)

Read more about Shear's awe for the statue of David and her research for the new work in Playbill.com's Restoration: Claudia Shear Goes from Dirty Blonde to Cleaning Up David feature.

Shear reteams on this production with director Ashley (Xanadu), who staged her OBIE Award-winning Blown Sideways Through Life at NYTW.

The actress earned a Tony Award nomination for Dirty Blonde. Other credits include The Smell of the Kill (also directed by Ashley), Who's The Daddy?, End of the Day and roles in the films "Living Out Loud," "It Could Happen To You" and a guest spot on "Friends."

The design team for Restoration includes Scott Pask (set), David C. Woolard (costumes), David Lander (lighting), Dan Moses Schreier (sound), Kristin Ellert (video) and Mark Adam Rampmeyer (wig). The production stage manager is James FitzSimmons.

Tickets to Restoration at NYTW, 79 E. Fourth Street, are available by calling (212) 279-4200. For more information visit nytw.org.