The actors who starred in the world premiere of the musical at Seattle's Intiman Theatre are joined by Wayne Wilcox, Amy Arbizzani, Andrew Rothenberg, Stephen Rader, Brooke Scherrod and Johnathan Raviv for the run slated for Jan. 10-Feb. 15. Intiman's artistic director Bartlett Sher takes the helm for the Windy City run — Lucas had directed the show in Seattle.

The Light in the Piazza is a love story of a young American woman who while on holiday falls for 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 novella by Elizabeth Spencer, the musical is set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953.

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

The world premiere of The Light in the Piazza, featuring music and lyrics by Guettel (Floyd Collins) and book by Lucas (The Dying Gaul, Prelude to a Kiss), played May 31-July 19 at the Intiman. The developing work was previously workshopped at the Sundance Theatre Lab.

Guettel told Playbill On-Line (June 2003) 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 [Spencer] 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]." Steven Pasquale (A Man of No Importance) who performed the young lead in Seattle will not appear in the musical again due to scheduling conflicts. The actor is set to begin shooting a new FX firefighter drama "Rescue Me" starring Denis Leary.

Tickets to The Light in the Piazza at the Goodman, 170 N. Dearborn in Chicago, IL, can be purchased by calling (312) 443-3800 or online at www.goodman-theatre.org.