A week-long private industry reading of the new musical Chéri, an adaptation of Colette’s novel, will be presented in Manhattan August 5–12.

Dontee Kiehn will direct, with musical direction by Andy Einhorn and choreography by Parker Esse.

Tony nominee Vanessa Williams (Into the Woods, Sondheim on Sondheim, Trip to Bountiful) will star as Charlotte with Tony winner Paulo Szot (South Pacific) as Monsieur, Natalie Dessay (Passion, The Châtelet) as Léa de Lonval, Jason Gotay (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) as Chéri, Eryn LeCroy (The Phantom of the Opera), Nathaniel Stampley (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess), Sean MacLaughlin (The Phantom of the Opera), MaryAnn Hu (Sunday in the Park With George), Natascia Diaz (Man of La Mancha), Cáitlín Burke (The Sound of Music), Darren Matthias (The Sound of Music), Mary Stout (On the Twentieth Century), Michael Spaziani (The Sound of Music), Rebecca Eichenberger (My Fair Lady), Shereen Ahmed (My Fair Lady), Drew Seigla (Fiddler on the Roof), and Woody Buck (The Sound of Music).

Chéri has book and lyrics by Teri Hansen and music by Chabrier, Chopin, Debussy, de Falla, Duparc, Ravel, and Satie. 2020 will mark the centennial of the publication of Colette’s famed novel.

Szot has been a special guest performer on Playbill's Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Broadway in the Great Northwest, Playbill Travel’s first domestic cruise will bring passengers on a journey through the Pacific Northwest from April 26–May 4, 2020, and for Broadway on the Mediterranean (August 31–September 7, 2020), featuring Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, Gavin Creel, Lindsay Mendez, and more to be announced. Playbill Travel is currently accepting waitlist travelers for its sold out Broadway in Bordeaux With Michael Feinstein (September 1–9, 2019). Call Playbill Travel for tickets at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.