Anna Paquin cast in an Off-Broadway comedy

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Actress Anna Paquin, who won an Academy Award at age 11 for her performance in "The Piano," is making her stage debut in New York in "Roulette."

Paquin, now 22, has been cast as the wisecracking daughter of a father who decides to change his life by playing Russian roulette in the new Paul Weitz play.

The black comedy, an Ensemble Studio Theater production now in previews at the Off-Broadway John Houseman Theater, marks Paquin's stage debut after taking the teen-age role of Rogue in film "X-Men" and "X2." She is now a student at Columbia University.

The "Roulette" cast also includes Larry Bryggman, Tony Award-nominee for his role as the mathematician in "Proof" two seasons ago, playing the father; Ana Gasteyer, formerly of "Saturday Night Live," and Grant Shaud, formerly of "Murphy Brown."

Weitz, the playwright, was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay of the Hugh Grant film, "About a Boy."

"Roulette" will open officially Feb. 15.