The show began performances May 31 for a run through July 19. The staging is produced in association with Chicago's Goodman Theatre — where it will subsequently play Jan. 10-Feb. 15, 2004.

The Light in the Piazza is a love story between a young American woman and a young Italian man. When the young woman's mother learns of the affair, she opposes it for seemingly unknown reasons. Based on the 1960 novel by Elizabeth Spencer, the musical is set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953.

Intiman's associate artistic director Lucas helms the work which stars Victoria Clark (Urinetown, Titanic), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Little Fish, Summer of '42), Steven Pasquale (A Man of No Importance), Mark Harelik (Lost Highway), Patti Cohenour (The Phantom of the Opera) Glenn Seven Allen (Naked Boys Singing!), Kelli O'Hara (My Life with Albertine) and Robert Shampain (The Odyssey at Seattle Rep). Jeffrey Froome and Fae Phalen also appear.

Craig Lucas (The Dying Gaul, Prelude to a Kiss) provides the book for the musical with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel (Floyd Collins). Ted Sperling serves as music director and Pat Graney handles choreography. Orchestrations are by Sperling and Guettel.

The Light in the Piazza design team includes Loy Arcenas (scenic), Catherine Zuber (costume), Christopher Akerlind (lighting) and Acme Sound Partners (sound). The fairy tale musical marks a departure from the recent dark work associated with Lucas. "I have been writing these punishing, angry, tragic plays. I just could not write enough mean, cruel, dark, upsetting things," Lucas told Playbill On-Line. "So when Adam brought me this [love story], I kind of thought 'I don't know, maybe I'm the wrong guy.' But it's been a tremendous joy."

Guettel told Playbill On-Line that he had the impulse to do a love story for a long time and finally found the inspiration in the Elizabeth Spencer novella of the same title. "The great thing about the original novella, which is so craftily done, is she withholds a lot of stuff and... the most present feeling of the storytelling is what she doesn't say, which is a challenge [to adapt]."

Tickets to The Light in the Piazza at the Intiman, 201 Mercer Street in Seattle, WA can be purchased by calling (206) 269-1900 or visit www.intiman.org.

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