RIALTO CHATTER: Paula Abdul Headed to IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway?

Radar Online is reporting that former American Idol judge Paula Abdul will make her Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical 'In The Heights'.

From Radar Online: "Paula will take over for Priscilla Lopez in one of the leading roles. It's always been Abdul's dream to star on Broadway," an inside source tells RadarOnline.com exclusively. "Paula has been in talks with producers for severAl Weeks and made a special overnight trip to New York on March 17 just to see the successful Broadway show."

Reportedly, director and producer Kenny Ortega was keen to bring Paula Abdul on board. An inside source also tells Radar Online that "Ortega is hot to have her choreograph the film version."

In the Heights opened on Broadway to wide critical acclaim on March 9, 2008, and continues to play the Richard Rodgers Theatre. In addition to winning the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show's creator, won the Tony Award for Best Music and Lyrics; Andy Blankenbuehler won for Best Choreography; and Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman won for Best Orchestrations. The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, and Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a feature film based on the smash hit musical.

For more information, visit www.intheheightsthemusical.com