Lea Thompson, star of television's "Caroline in the City," will be far from the city and out on the road beginning March 28 in the touring production of Cabaret. Thompson will assume the role of nightclub singer Sally Bowles in the national tour of the Roundabout Theatre Company revival. SFX Theatrical Group, Eric and Scott Nederlander and Jujamcyn Production, are producing the tour.

Thompson begins performances on March 28 in New Orleans, followed by engagements in Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Wallingford, Baltimore, Atlanta and Houston, according to production notes.

Joely Fisher was in the Bowles role until March 19.

Thompson, who started her career in ballet, has been onstage since she was 10. She has performed over 45 ballets and began her film career at 20, eventually starring in 17 films including, "All The Right Moves," "Red Dawn," "Article 99," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Howard the Duck" and the popular "Back to the Future" trilogy. Her television movies include, "A Will of Their Own," "The Substitute Wife" and "Unknown Cyclist." Her theatre credits including The Illusion for the Los Angeles Theater Center and Bus Stop at the Pasadena Playhouse.

The national touring production of Cabaret opened in March 1999 in Los Angeles, then moved to Boston. With book by Joe Masteroff and music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cabaret also features provocative new staging by Sam Mendes, who was recently nominate for an Academy Award for his directorial debut with "American Beauty." On Broadway, the current revival opened in New York City in 1998 and earned 30 major award nominations and four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. Roundabout's Broadway production continues to play to sold-out houses at the legendary Studio 54.

The design team for the national tour production of Cabaret comprises set designer Robert Brill, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designers Peggy Eisenhauer and Mike Baldassari and sound designer Brian Ronan.