The Light in the Piazza to Air on PBS in June?

The Light in the Piazza may possibly beam from TV screens; Lincoln Center Theater is currently in negotiations with PBS for a "Live at Lincoln Center" episode featuring the lush Tony Award-winning Adam Guettel musical.

If the deal is confirmed, the episode will air on June 15th.

The Light in the Piazza's third (and most likely, final) extension places it as Lincoln Center's longest-running musical to play out its run at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. With a run of over a year (it opened on April 18th, 2005) The Light in the Piazza will top the previous record set by the 1987 revival of Anything Goes, starring Patti LuPone. Previously, the show was extended through January 1st and then through March 26th.

With a book by Craig Lucas (Reckless, Prelude to a Kiss), music and lyrics by Adam Guettel (Floyd Collins) and direction by Bartlett Sher, The Light in the Piazza won six 2005 Tony Awards--Best Score, Best Actress (for Victoria Clark), Best Orchestrations (for Ted Sperling) and three design awards (the show features costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and sets by Michael Yeargan). The musical, based on the novella by Elizabeth Spencer, is set in the summer of 1953 and tells the story of Margaret and Clara, a mother and daughter traveling through Italy--Clara's romance with a handsome, high-spirited Florentine, and Margaret's determined efforts to keep the two apart.

 The show currently stars original cast members Victoria Clark as Margaret Johnson, Patti Cohenour as Signora Naccarelli, Michael Berresse as Giuseppe Naccarelli, Sarah Uriarte Berry as Franca and Beau Gravitte as Roy Johnson, as well as Katie Clarke as Clara Johnson, Chris Sarandon as Signor Naccarelli and Aaron Lazar as Fabrizio.

In addition, a national tour was recently announced for the show. Beginning in August of 2006, the 50-week tour will head to over 25 North American cities, including Seattle, Denver, Orlando, Miami, Raleigh, NC, Hershey, PA, Portland, Costa Mesa, Tempe, AZ and Sacramento. A complete tour schedule (as well as casting) will be announced soon.

For more information on The Light in the Piazza, visit www.lincolncentertheater.org.