Actor Hugh Panaro joins the cast of the upcoming new Michael John LaChiusa musical Little Fish.The world premiere tuner starring Jennifer Laura Thompson (Urinetown), Lea DeLaria (The Rocky Horror Show) and LaChanze (Once On This Island) will start at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre Jan. 21, 2003 and open Feb. 12. Tickets will be available Jan. 3, a production spokesperson confirmed.

Panaro has played on Broadway in Les Miserables as Marius, The Phantom of the Opera as both Raoul and the title role, in Jule Styne's The Red Shoes, Showboat and as the original Buddy in Side Show. Other credits include Sweet Adeline, Noa Noa, Wuthering Heights, Children of Eden and What's a Nice Country Like You Doing in a State Like This?.

The rest of the cast includes Jesse Tyler Ferguson (On the Town, Newyorkers), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Summer of '42), Ken Marks (Mamma Mia!, Blur), and Eric Jordan Young (Seussical).

Composer of Broadway musicals such as The Wild Party and Marie Christine, LaChiusa's new musical, Little Fish, centers around a neurotic New Yorker who reflects on her attempts to quit smoking, exercise regularly, and find the man of her dreams in the big city. Hyphenate Graciela Daniele (Once on This Island, Marie Christine, A New Brain) directs and choreographs the work with book, lyrics and music by LaChiusa.

The creative team includes Riccardo Hernandez (sets), Peggy Eisenhauer (lights), Toni Leslie James (costumes) and Scott Lehrer (sound). For subscriptions or single tickets, call Second Stage, 307 West 43rd Street, at (212) 246-4422. For more information, visit the Second Stage website at www.secondstagetheatre.com.