Theatre legend Betty Buckley will star in a private reading of new musical by Nancy Shayne, Diner Stories at New York City's Vineyard Theatre, Dec. 17.

The cast of the reading will also include Hairspray castmastes Kerry Butler and Jennifer Gambatese (Hairspray) with Mary Pat Gleason, James Hindman (The Scarlet Pimpernel), Christiane Noll (Jekyll & Hyde) and Paul Hecht (The Invention of Love).

The musical contains three separate stories that take place in a diner, each of which star Buckley as a different character. Randal Myler, writer-director of Love, Janis and It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues directs while Mark Berman handles musical direction and arrangements for the musical with music, lyrics and book by Shayne.

Buckley previously told Playbill On-Line about the writer-composer's work, "Her music and her writing is just so fresh and so smart and so funny. It's beautiful. Shows cross my path all the time, and I choose not to do most of the things that come to me. This one is the first thing that I've gotten so excited about in years." She added "We're all hoping for a fall 2003 production, and we hope to go out of town this spring or summer."

Buckley, who recently completed a run at Feinstein's at the Regency, is remembered for performances in Sunset Boulevard, Carrie, Song & Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, 1776 and Promises, Promises. She garnered a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella in the Broadway production of Cats. Also a TV ("Eight Is Enough") and film ("Tender Mercies") star, the actress-singer devotes much of her time to concert appearances around the world. Her solo CD, "Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmar Warehouse," was nominated for a Grammy Award, and her newest recording, "The Doorway," was just released on the Fynsworth Alley label. Caralyn Spector Productions and the Sullivan Talent Group, Inc. are presenting the reading.