The new staging of the Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical will play Studio 54, starting Nov. 28 toward a Dec. 14 official opening. Gary Griffin directs, Rob Fisher provides musical direction and Andy Blankenbuehler choreographs the limited engagement slated to run through March 11, 2007.

James will appear as Adam, Sanjar and Flip. Kudisch takes on Snake. Chenoweth — who starred in the City Center Encores! production of The Apple Tree in 2005 — returns in the central roles of Eve, Princess Barbara and Ella.

Featuring music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and a book by Bock and Harnick (with additional book material by Jerome Coopersmith), The Apple Tree is "a unique evening of three one-act musicals about men, women and a little thing called temptation" based on Mark Twain's "The Diary of Adam and Eve," Frank R. Stockton's "The Lady or the Tiger?" and Jules Feiffer's "Passionella."

The company will also feature Meggie Nicole Cansler, Julie Connors, Sarah Jane Everman, Jennifer Taylor Farrell, Justin Keyes, Lorin Lataro, Mike McGowan, Sean Palmer, Dennis Stowe and Eric Santagata.

At left (from top): Kristin Chenoweth; Brian d'Arcy James and Marc Kudisch; choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and director Gary Griffin; music director Rob Fisher; writers Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock.

Below: The ensemble of The Apple Tree meets the press.

photos by Aubrey Reuben