The cast of the Nov. 20-Dec. 28 staging also includes Jilline Ringle, well-known to local audiences from her box office record-breaking shows Mondo Mangia and La Dolce Vita, as The Madame, a French prostitute also known as The Marquesa; Daniel Krell as the café's bartender; Stephanie Riso as his fiery Italian wife; Megan Hilty as the English prostitute, The Duchesss; Thomas Wesley Douglas will play piano onstage.

Terrence J. Nolen directs and co-wrote the book. The co-librettist and composer-lyricist is Michael Ogborn.

Café Puttanesca will have its world premiere at Philadelphia's Arden Theatre, Sept. 11-Nov. 2. Nolen is artistic director there. Only Ringle will perform in both the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh productions, which will both be rehearsed in Philly in an unusual arrangement.

Ogborn's Baby Case was directed by Nolen at the Arden in 2002-03. The show won four Barrymore Awards, including Outstanding Musical.

"Café Puttanesca is set in Amsterdam, a few years after the end of World War II," according to production notes. "The café, which is owned by an American ex-GI and his Italian wife, is frequented by three ladies of the night. On the evening we meet this trio, The Baroness has come to the café to say goodbye. The audience will be included in their farewell celebration, which features songs both naughty and sentimental; stories both wistful and wise; and plenty of puns. While the jokes in Café Puttanesca may be off-color, the singing will never be off-key." Nemetz appeared on Broadway in Chicago,Working, Up In One (with Peter Allen), The Rink and The Pajama Game. Her tours include Cabaret, Bye Bye Birdie, Sweet Charity and Some Like It Hot (with Tony Curtis). She last appeared at City Theatre in 1998's Picasso at the Lapin Agile.

 For more information, visit www.citytheatrecompany.org.