Musicals about psychotherapy are few and far between, the last major one being On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever. The only other one that comes to mind is the rarely-revived, Hart-Weill-Gershwin tuner, Lady in the Dark. The 1941 musical got a 1994 Encores! concert staging, with Christine Ebersole starring alongside Joe Morton, Edward Hibbert, Carole Shelley, Tony Goldwyn and Patrick Cassidy, but the show's first fully produced East Coast revival in years arrives at Philadelphia's Prince Music Theatre, Sept. 29-Oct. 21, opening Oct. 5. The show had been scheduled to run through Oct. 14 but was extended — even before opening — by a week.

Starring is cabaret songstress Andrea Marcovicci (Any Given Day) as a high-level businesswoman in the fashion-magazine world who needs help balancing her career, love life and psyche. Gertrude Lawrence originated the part in a Sam H. Harris production that also featured Danny Kaye in his breakthrough role. The Prince revival will also star Alison Fraser (The Secret Garden) and Mark Vietor, as well as Nancy Hume playing the lead character's shrink — traditionally a male role.

Forty other singers, dancers and musicians are promised for the staging, which is directed by Ted Sperling, choreographed by Robert LaFosse and utilizes Kurt Weill's original orchestrations.

Designing the show are James Schuette (set), James Ingalls (lighting), David Belugou (costumes) and Nick Courtides (sound).

In a statement, Prince producing director Marjorie Samoff explained why Lady in the Dark — despite such signature songs as "My Ship" and "Tchaikowsky" — is so rarely done: "...the piece is tough to produce because of its extravagant dream sequences and unusual structure... we believe audiences will be amazed and delighted to discover just how much fun the piece can be." Marcovicci first made plans for the revival public when she was doing concerts at the Prince Music Theatre early last season.

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— By David Lefkowitz