Emmy-winning actress heads for Broadway

NEW YORK, March 12 (UPI) -- Emmy-winner Christina Applegate will make her Broadway debut next year playing the title role in a revival of the musical, "Sweet Charity."

Applegate, who won an Emmy Award for her decade-long performance as Kelly Bundy in the TV series, "Married ... With Children," auditioned for the role of Charity Hope Valentine last December. The blonde actress said she was "shocked" when producers Barry and Fran Weissler cast her on the spot as the dance hall hostess who is unlucky in love. The Weisslers are producing the show, under the direction of Walter Bobbie, with Clear Channel Entertainment. They plan engagements in Chicago and Boston before bringing the show to New York in April 2005.

"Sweet Charity," whose hit song is "Big Spender," is something of a Broadway legend. Based on the screenplay "Nights of Cabiria" by Federico Fellini, it has a book by Neil Simon with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Field. It premiered in 1966 with choreography by Bob Fosse and starred Gwen Verdon, but a 1986 revival starring Debbie Allen was even more successful, winning four Tony Awards.

Wayne Cilento will choreograph the new revival.