Rialto Chatter: Nicole Scherzinger Will Not Replace Patina Miller as PIPPIN's Leading Player - UPDATED!

UPDATE: A production spokesperson has confirmed to BroadwayWorld that former Pussycat Doll Nicole Sherzinger will not be joining Broadway's PIPPIN, as the New York Daily News reported earlier today.

The one-time X FACTOR judge Nicole Scherzinger will not be succeeding Tony winner Patina Miller as 'The Leading Player' in the circus-inspired revival.

Scherzinger, who has appeared in the Hollywood Bowl production of RENT, is best known as the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls who's 2005 debut album PCD went double-platinum in America and sold over nine million copies worldwide with several Top-10 hits songs including Don't Cha, Buttons and Stickwitu. Following the success of PCD, Nicole recorded a series of duets and guest vocal appearances with artists such as P.Diddy, 50 Cent, Timbaland, Vittorio and several others.

Nicole also released two solo singles and videos before recording the second Pussycat Dolls Album, Doll Domination, which has sold over 5 million copies containing hits like When I Grow Up and I Hate This Part. She has toured the globe as a headline act for over six years, playing stadiums and arenas and appearing on countless TV shows worldwide. In 2009, Nicole recorded an adaptation of the AR Rahman Song Jai Ho from the film Slumdog Millionaire. The song hit #1 in 17 different countries.

PIPPIN is the winner of four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller) and Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus). The show is also the recipient of four Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diana Paulus) and Outstanding Choreography (Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider). The production also led the winners of the Outer Critics Circle Awards with seven wins including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Outstanding Choreographer (Chet Walker), Outstanding Lighting Design (Kenneth Posner), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller), Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Terrence Mann). PIPPIN received the Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and two Fred and Adele Astaire Awards including Outstanding Choreographer of a Broadway Show (Chet Walker) and Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show (Charlotte d'Amboise).

With a book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, PIPPIN features music supervision and arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo, orchestrations by Tony Award winner Larry Hochman, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by Tony Award nominee Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Award nominees Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm.

Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his "corner of the sky." The original production of PIPPIN, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. This production of PIPPIN made its debut at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus serves as Artistic Director; December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including "Corner of the Sky," "Magic To Do," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song."

The New Broadway Cast Recording for PIPPIN is now available on Ghostlight Records.

Photo Credit: Picture Perfect / Rex USA