RIALTO CHATTER: Cody Linley Broadway-Bound in OVER HERE!?

Radaronline.com is reporting that Disney star Cody Linley is Broadway-bound in the remake of the musical Over Here!  Linley, of Hannah Montana and Dancing with the Stars fame, reportedly has passed on the Disney Channel's television movie Starstruck in order to participate in the Broadway production.  Sterling Knight has since taken over the Starstruck role. Over Here! is hoping for an opening in the beginning of 2010.

Over Here! features a score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and book by Will Holt. The musical was a follow-up to The Sherman Brothers' World War II musical Victory Canteen, an off-Broadway production that featured 1940s icon Patty Andrews. The setting is a cross-country train trip in the United States during World War II. The show begins as a nostalgic look at 1940s America but quickly evolves into a social commentary about the fear of dying in battle, prejudice, and discrimination. The original Broadway production was directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch, with scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt and costumes by Carrie F. Robbins.

After thirteen previews, the show opened on March 6, 1974 at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 341 performances. The opening night cast included Patty and Maxene Andrews (of the Andrews Sisters) and newcomers John Travolta, Treat Williams, Marilu Henner, Samuel E. Wright, and Ann Reinking, all of whom went on to achieve successful careers. The show closed on January 4, 1975 under controversial conditions. "The producers blamed Patty and Maxine, claiming they wanted more money and made unreasonable demands, and cancelled the national tour. The Andrews sisters blamed the producers, claiming they had mismanaged the show from the beginning and were now using them as scapegoats." The show was scheduled to make its West End debut in 2007 at London's Apollo Theatre. The announced cast included Tony Award winners Donna McKechnie and Frances Ruffelle and Coronation Street actor Richard Fleeshman, however, the production never occurred.

According to radaronline.com, Dick Van Dyke was set to topline the musical, however, a recent death in his family have made these plans uncertain.

Says a rep for Linley: "Cody is very so excited about going to Broadway." 

Over Here! will mark Linley's big stage debut.  Known best for his role as Jake Ryan on Disney's Hannah Montana and for being a finalist on the 2008 season of Dancing with the Stars, Linley has appeared in the made-for-television film Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack, and had supporting roles in My Dog Skip; Where the Heart Is, Walker; Texas Ranger; and Miss Congeniality. In 2003, Linley was in the independent film When Zachary Beaver Came to Town and appeared in the movie Cheaper by the Dozen. Linley co-hosted the 2008 Disney Channel Games and has appeared in commercials for Zaxby's.