Sara Gettelfinger has taken over the role of 'Carla' in Nine

Tue 14 Oct 2003 Sara Gettelfinger has taken over the role of 'Carla' in Nine Sara Gettelfinger has taken over the role of 'Carla' in Nine at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, in place of Jenna Elfman. Sara Gettelfinger understudied the role of 'Carla' and portrayed the role of 'Maria' since the production began its run in March 2003. She began performances playing the role of 'Carla' on Tuesday, October 7th. Jenna Elfman will not now be joining the show because the producers said "Ms. Elfman would not have had a proper preview period performing the role of 'Carla'.(before the re-opening date scheduled for October 28) We hope to have the opportunity to work with Ms. Elfman at a date that is mutually beneficial." Jenna Elfman says, "Nine has a very beautiful, complex, and challenging score and I want to make sure that I have enough time to prepare so that I can deliver the quality of performance as a professional that I demand of myself. Being on Broadway is a dream of mine and if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it when it's right and I'm ready." David Leveaux says, "Any company member preparing for Nine and the demands of an eight show week is entitled to be protected by realistic rehearsal time. The recent circumstances of Jenna's current working schedule made it uncomfortably tight for her satisfaction and mine to open in the show immediately, so she and I agreed to find a later moment for her to join us. She is a major actress, and as such has even higher standards for herself than many might demand of her. I think her decision this time around was as typically responsible as it was deeply thought through, and is a measure of her seriousness. Her work with us so far has been absolutely exhilarating and of course we look forward to welcoming her into Nine at a moment that feels right to her." The show now features John Stamos (Guido Contini) , Sara Gettelfinger (Carla) , Eartha Kitt (Liliane La Fleur) , Marni Nixon (Guido's Mother), Rebecca Luker (Claudia) , Mary Stuart Masterson (Luisa), Nell Campbell (Lina Darling), Jacqueline Hendy (Our Lady of the Spa), Saundra Santiago (Stephanie Necrophorus), Myra Lucretia Taylor (Sarraghina ), Daniel Manche/Evan Daves (Little Guido). The ensemble includes: Farah Alvin, Stephanie Bast, Jessica Leigh Brown, Nikki Renee Daniels, Rachel DeBenedet, Rona Figueroa, Kristin Marks, Paul Schoeffler, Kathy Voytko. Roundabout Theatre Company's new Broadway production Nine, opened 10 Apr 2003, following previews from 21 March 2003, and is currently taking bookings to 4 Jan 2004. Nine received Two Tony� Awards, three Drama Desk Awards and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. Book by Arthur Kopit, Music & Lyrics Maury Yeston (Italian adapted by Mario Fratti). It is directed by David Leveaux, with choreography by Jonathan Butterell. Nine's central character, and only man in the musical, is Guido Contini, a film director in the Fellini mold. He has been contracted to write and direct a film, but is unable to come up with a suitable plot. After recent box office failures, he finds himself drifting towards a nervous breakdown. Guido finds himself examining his past flawed relationships with the many women who have come through his life and struggles to act his mature age of 40 as opposed to Nine. The songs in Nine include: "Guido's Song," "Only With You," "Folies Berg�res," "Be Italian," "Unusual Way," "The Grand Canal," "Simple" and "Be On Your Own." The new Broadway cast recording is available on PS Classics.