Directed by Erica Schmidt with choreography by Peter Pucci, the musical is scheduled to begin previews March 8 with an official opening March 12. The limited engagement at the New Jersey theatre will play through April 9.

Michael Hayden, recently seen on the New York stage in Dessa Rose, will play Paul with Paul Schoeffler as Marco, Elena Shaddow as Lili, Eric Michael Gillett as Jacquot and Nick Wyman as Schlagel. The role of Rosalie has yet to be cast.

The creative team for the production comprises Christopher Barreca (set design), Michelle R. Phillips (costume design), Donald Holder (lighting design), Randy Hansen (sound design), Jason Hayes (hair, wigs and make-up design), Jesse Mooney Bullock (puppet design), Frank Maugeri (puppet coach), Chic Silber (circus effects), Peter Samelson (magic design) with musical direction by Tom Helm.

Carnival!, which bowed on Broadway in 1961, features a score by Bob Merrill and a book by Michael Stewart. The original Broadway cast featured Anna Maria Alberghetti, Kaye Ballard, Henry Lascoe, James Mitchell, Pierre Olaf and Jerry Orbach.

The musical, according to press notes, tells the story of "a shy lonely orphan who is enchanted with the desire to join the glamorous carnival. Searching for her place in the carnival, she joins a puppet act and soon finds that love makes the world go 'round." Michael Hayden, a Tony nominee for his work in Judgment at Nuremberg, has also appeared on Broadway in Carousel, Cabaret, Enchanted April and Henry IV.

Paul Schoeffler's Broadway credits include Cyrano—The Musical, Victor/Victoria, Peter Pan and Nine. He has been at the Paper Mill in She Loves Me, Nine, My Fair Lady and Maury Yeston's Phantom.

Elena Shaddow has been seen on Broadway in The Woman in White, Fiddler on the Roof, Nine, Sweet Smell of Success and Les Misérables and Off-Broadway in Water Coolers.

The Paper Mill Playhouse is located on Brookside Drive in Millburn, NJ. Tickets, priced $19-$68, are available by calling (973) 376-4343 or by visiting www.papermill.org.