Producer Marty Bell and his partners had just refined the show by May 13 following weeks of tweaking in previews when a water leak spoiled the fun on May 15. After that evening's show successfully ended, a water main flooded the stage.

It was hoped that the show would be back by June, but that plan was scotched in order to secure the stage area and its equipment. A spokesman said the stage floor buckled and lighting instruments were ruined. The early fall reopening target was announced May 25.

The Supper Club kitchen and seating area were not affected, so events not related to Chef's Theater will still take place there this summer.

Bell told Playbill On-Line the summer will be used to further rethink the show, with the knowledge that audiences — used to The Food Network programming and other cooking shows — were more passionate about the food-and-prep portion of the evening than the entertainment portion.

Since it began, Chef's Theater offered a cooking demonstration from a celebrity chef that included video projection of the process on large screens. In the adjacent Supper Club kitchen, the meal was reproduced for the hundreds of guests. Wine and song and dessert were all part of the experience. Bell said reservations were solid for announced dates featuring David Burke, Jacques Pepin and others in May and June (including two sell-outs) and the producing partners were looking at profitable weeks this spring and summer.

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The unique show in Manhattan's theatre district underwent some changes after May 9.

Starting May 13, a new regular "cast" made up of Mylinda Hull (42nd Street) and Paige Price (Saturday Night Fever) assisted a famed chef in the kitchen.

As was the case since preview performances started March 30, a special musical guest also performed.

Producers West Egg Entertainment, Marty Bell, Greg Smith and Stephen Fass and executive producer Joe Allegro presented the show. The restaurant portion of the event was handled by Restaurant Associates, the respected foodservice company.

Bell, of West Egg Entertainment, was one of the producers of Sweet Smell of Success, The Last 5 Years, A Class Act and is working on the musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He told Playbill On-Line he and his producers hope Chef's Theater will pop up around the country.

Telecharge.com handled tickets for the show, in the Supper Club (formerly the Edison Theatre) at 240 W. 47th Street.