Piazza will play the Vivian Beaumont beginning March 18, 2005, for an April 18 opening.

Piazza, based on Elizabeth Spencer's novella, has played critically acclaimed runs at both Seattle's Intiman Theatre and, more recently, at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Clark and O'Hara have been with the project since the beginning.

The Light in the Piazza is a love story of a young American woman, Clara (O'Hara), who while on holiday falls for a young Italian man. When the young woman's mother (Clark) learns of the affair, she opposes it for seemingly unknown reasons. Based on the 1960 novella by Spencer, the musical is set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953.

No other cast members have been confirmed. In addition to Clark and O'Hara, the Chicago production featured Patti Cohenour, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Mark Harelik, and Glenn Seven Allen — who starred in the world premiere of the musical at the Intiman — as well as newcomers Wayne Wilcox, Amy Arbizzani, Andrew Rothenberg, Stephen Rader, Brooke Scherrod and Jonathan Raviv.

The design team included Michael Yeargan (set), Chris Akerlind (light) Catherine Zuber (costume) and Acme Sound Partners (sound). Ted Sperling served as music director. Choreography was by Marcela Lorca.

Clark is a Broadway veteran who starred in the original production of Titanic and recent revivals of How to Succeed... and Cabaret.

O'Hara has starred in several high-profile (albeit, not critically successful) new productions in recent seasons, creating roles in the new musicals Sweet Smell of Success, My Life With Albertine and the current Dracula.