This is thought to be the first time in Broadway history that a mother and son will star together in a Broadway musical. Cassidy's father was the late Jack Cassidy.

Jones — the renowned ingenue of such films as "The Music Man," "Carousel" and "Oklahoma!" — will play the fading, imperious star, Dorothy Brock, whose injury allows a newcomer to take over.

As diva Dorothy, Jones gets to sing such choice Al Dubin Harry Warren songs as "Shadow Waltz," "About a Quarter to Nine" and "I Only Have Eyes For You."

Jones and Cassidy play the roles at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts through Aug. 1. This revival of 42nd Street won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. It will ends its long run at the Ford Center Jan. 2, 2005.

Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy have previously appeared together on stage — in The Sound of Music for the St. Louis MUNY in 1977. Jones played Maria to Cassidy's Rolf (with Sarah Jessica Parker playing Brigitta). Shirley Jones returns to Broadway for the first time in nearly 40 years when she appeared with her husband Jack Cassidy in Maggie Flynn in 1968. She made her Broadway debut in 1953 in South Pacific. She won the Academy Award in 1960 for Best Supporting Actress for her role opposite Burt Lancaster in "Elmer Gantry."

Her other stage productions include Me and Juliet, Oklahoma! (Europe), The Beggar's Opera, Wait Until Dark, The Marriage Band, On A Clear Day..., Show Boat, The Sound of Music, Bittersweet, Love Letters and The King and I.

Patrick Cassidy recently appeared on Broadway in Aida (as well as the national tour for which he won the 2002 National Broadway Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Touring Musical), Annie Get Your Gun opposite Cheryl Ladd, Pirates of Penzance and Leader of the Pack. He originated the role of the Balladeer in Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at Playwrights Horizons and appeared in Lady in the Dark at City Center's Encores! He has a recurring role on TV's "Smallville" as Lana Lang's father.

The current 42nd Street troupe includes Nadine Isenegger as Peggy Sawyer, Patti Mariano as Maggie Jones, Frank Root as Bert Barry, David Elder as Billy Lawlor, Brad Aspel as Andy Lee, Celina Carvajal as Anytime Annie, Richard Pruitt as Abner Dillon, Michael Dantuono as Pat Denning, Steve Luker as Mac, and Greg Beck as Oscar, the on-stage pianist.

The ensemble includes Will Armstrong, Kelli Barclay, Becky Berstler, Sara Brians, Chris Clay, Michael Clowers, Maryam Myika Day, Alexander DeJong, Nikki Della Penta, Angie Everett, Isabelle Flachsmann, Kristen Gaetz, Susan Haefner, Kolina Janneck, Sarah L. Johnson, Jennifer Jones, Amy F. Karlein, Regan Kays, Cara Kjellman, Jessica Kostival, Todd Lattimore, Alison Levenberg, Gavin Lodge, Jennifer Marquardt,, Sarah McLellan, Darin Phelps, Wes Pope, Megan Schenck, Jennifer Leigh Schwerer, Eric Sciotto, Cindy Shadel, Kelly Sheehan, Kristyn D. Smith, Vanessa Sonon, Erin Stoddard, Jonathan Taylor, Will Taylor, Erika Vaughn, Josh Walden, Mike Warshaw, Merrill West, Kevin B. Worley and Ericka Yang.

Tickets to 42nd Street are available by phone through Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4100.

Visit www.42ndstreetbroadway.com.