'Hallelujah Baby!' revival

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 1968 is getting a radical revising and re-sizing by its original book writer, Arthur Laurents.

"Hallelujah, Baby!" with a score by Jule Styne -- composer of "Gypsy," "Funny Girl" and "Bells Are Ringing" -- together with Betty Comden and Adolph Green, goes into workshop next month. Full productions are due next season at the George Street Playhouse in Brunswick, N.J., and Washington's Arena Stage, with a Broadway revival the goal.

"This version has nine actors," says Laurents. "The original had over 20."

New lyrics will also be added by Amanda Green, daughter of the late Adolph Green.

The early 20th century history of the African-American struggle for equality, the musical's twist is that the characters do not age.

Leslie Uggams, who created the show's starring role of Georgina and won a Best Actress Tony for the role, will appear as Momma. The original show ran less than a year.