Screen Sirens and Broadway Stars Unite: Hayek, Biel, Morrison and Szot Lead LTC's WOMEN ON THE VERGE Reading

‘Tis been the season of movie stars heading back to their roots on stage this fall. Variety reports today that screen sirens Salma Hayek and Jessica Biel, along with Broadway stars Matthew Morrison and Paulo Szot starring in a private industry reading last weekend of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," now in development by Lincoln Center Theatre. They were joined in the reading by Joanna Gleason (Tony Award winner for Into The Woods) and Argentinian actress Mia Maestro (Alias).

The musical is based on Pedro Almodovar's 1988 film of the same title and features a book by Jeffrey Lane  and a score by David Yazbek.  The pair has previously collaborated on "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Bartlett Sher (South Pacific) directed the reading.  Sher is also collaborating with Yazbek on another new musical Bruce Lee: Journey to the West.

While none of the actors are officially attached to the project, it seems likely that with names such as these, Broadway aspirations are likely, potentially as early as next spring according to Variety. Lincoln Center Theater has made no announcements regarding production plans.

Performing in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown would mark Hayek's big stage debut. One of the most recognizable film stars in the world, Hayek studied under Stella Adler in the early 1990s, going on to star in such films as Desperado opposite Antonio, The Faculty, Wild Wild West, Fools Rush In, once Upon A Time in Mexico and The Sunset with Pierce Brosnan. She runs her own Production Company, Ventanarosa, responsible for 2002's Frida, in which she both produced and starred. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including a Best Actress nomination for Hayek, who was the first Latin actress to be nominated in The category. She is the Emmy-winner producer of ABC's Ugly Betty, which won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy in 2007.

Jessica Biel appeared over the summer in "Guys and Dolls" at the Hollywood Bowl.  Known primarily as a screen star, Biel has appeared in Summer Catch, the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Illusionist and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. She is also known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven.

Matthew Morrison made his musical theater debut on Broadway in the musical version of Footloose, followed by a revival of the Rocky Horror Show. Addition Broadway credits include: Hairspray, South Pacific, Naked Girl on the Appian Way, and The Light in the Piazza. He has appeared on television in Hack and Sex and the City and on the big screen in Marci X, Encino Man, Primary Colors, Dan in Real Life, Music and Lyrics and Simply Funk. he is currently starring in the hit series, Glee.

Paulo Szot has appeared on Broadway in Lincoln Center's revival of South Pacific, for which he won Tony, World Theater, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards. He has performed with the New York City Opera, the Palm Beach Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Opera de Marseille, and Vlaamse Opera, among others, in such operas as L'Elisir d'Amore, La Bohème, Don Giovanni, Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci, Carmen, Cosi fan Tutte, Le Nozze di Figaro and Maria Golovin. In 2010 he will sing the title role of Shostakovich's The Nose at the Metropolitan Opera, making this opera a premiere at this opera house.