Sweet Charity Musical

"Sweet Charity," the charming, campy, unlucky Broadway show starring Christina Applegate, will close Dec. 31 when Applegate's scheduled run ends. Producers had negotiated with Britney Spears about taking over the lead role on Broadway. "She was quite interested," producer Edwin Schloss said about the 24-year-old pop singer, who had a son in September. "But in terms of her schedule and the baby it was too complicated."

"Sweet Charity," the charming, campy, unlucky Broadway show starring Christina Applegate, will close Dec. 31 when Applegate's scheduled run ends. Producers had negotiated with Britney Spears about taking over the lead role on Broadway. "She was quite interested," producer Edwin Schloss said about the 24-year-old pop singer, who had a son in September. "But in terms of her schedule and the baby it was too complicated."

"Sweet Charity" will go on -- but standby Charlotte d'Amboise will open the musical on Broadway, not its injured star, Christina Applegate, according to producer Barry Weissler. Weissler, the veteran producer of such hit revivals as "Chicago," "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Grease," made the announcement as the musical moved to Boston, where it begins performances Friday with D'Amboise for a 10-day run. It begins preview performances at New York's Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4.

The musical "Sweet Charity," hobbled by star Christina Applegate's broken foot and weak ticket sales, has canceled its planned run on Broadway. The $7.5-million production had been slated to begin preview performances in New York next week. But Applegate broke her right foot during a March 11 performance in Chicago, and Broadway veteran Charlotte d'Am- boise took over for the show's 10-day run in Boston. The final performance was Sunday.

The musical "Sweet Charity," hobbled by star Christina Applegate's broken foot and weak ticket sales, has canceled its planned run on Broadway. The $7.5-million production had been slated to begin preview performances in New York next week. But Applegate broke her right foot during a March 11 performance in Chicago, and Broadway veteran Charlotte d'Am- boise took over for the show's 10-day run in Boston. The final performance was Sunday.

THE Big Story of the Broadway season, which will be celebrated tonight at the 57th annual Tony Awards, demonstrates the special delirium of the Great White Way: Consider Christina Applegate and "Sweet Charity," the musical revival that has been revived more times on the way to its opening last month than a heart patient on "ER." A star's broken foot, lukewarm reviews, tepid box office and an official closing.

"Sweet Charity" will go on -- but standby Charlotte d'Amboise will open the musical on Broadway, not its injured star, Christina Applegate, according to producer Barry Weissler. Weissler, the veteran producer of such hit revivals as "Chicago," "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Grease," made the announcement as the musical moved to Boston, where it begins performances Friday with D'Amboise for a 10-day run. It begins preview performances at New York's Al Hirschfeld Theatre on April 4.