The adaptation is by Napoleon Ellsworth. For the purposes of keeping the reading simple, there was no singing, a source told Playbill On-Line. Vincent Paterson, the choreographer for the movie, rich in dreamy musical sequences, directed. Paterson also appeared in the picture.

The stage reading cast included, among others, Lili Taylor, Blair Brown, Zeljko Ivanek and Denis O'Hare.

NYTW has no plans to produce the musical at this time and the work is still in development, a spokesman said. It's one of many projects the respected Easy Village not-for profit explores and helps develop in readings. Among NYTW's projects were Rent, Homebody/Kabul, Bright Lights Big City and Far Away.

The picture, "Dancer in the Dark," written and directed by Lars von Trier, has a cult of fans who embraced the experimental nature of the film, calling it a postmodern movie musical. Pop star Bjork starred as an East European girl who goes to America with her young son, hoping to find life like a Hollywood movie.

Ivanek played a district attorney in the movie, which also featured Catherine Deneuve, David Morse and Joel Grey.