The Roundabout Theatre Company has postponed its scheduled production of Miss Julie. The show recently lost one of its stars, Natasha Richardson, due to scheduling conflicts. A spokesman for the theatre said the Roundabout hopes to mount the Strindberg classic sometime in the future, though no dates have been set and casting will remain a question.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was the other announced star for the Richard Nelson translation, which was to be directed by David Leaveux. Two years ago, Leaveux was slated to direct Desire Under the Elms at the Roundabout. That show was canceled, however, when star Mary-Louise Parker became unavailable.

Miss Julie is about the capricious daughter of a wealthy Count who disastrously dallies with the affections of Jean, the Count's servant. Casting for the third character, a maid, was never announced.

Variety recently reported that Rachel Weisz ("The Mummy" and Off Broadway's The Shape of Things) would replace Richardson, but that casting never materialized.

Richardson won a Tony Award for her Sally Bowles in Cabaret and has acted in Anna Christie and Closer. Hoffman alternated playing brothers Lee and Austin with John C. Reilly in the recent famous revival of True West. In 2001, he played Constantine in the Central Park rendering of The Seagull.

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Miss Julie is the third show to be removed from the Roundabout's announced 2002-03 season. The company canceled a new revival of Our Town, directed by Mark Brokaw, in reaction to a new Actors' Equity contract which upped performers' salaries. Soon after, the theatre postponed a proposed production of Spring Awakening, a new rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater and direction by Michael Mayer.

For subscription ticket information, call Roundabout ticket services at (212) 719-1300 .

Visit roundabouttheatre.org.

—By Robert Simonson