CHICAGO - BARANSKI PULLS OUT OF CLEOPATRA ROLE

BARANSKI PULLS OUT OF CLEOPATRA ROLE

CHICAGO star CHRISTINE BARANSKI has been forced to pull out of an upcoming production of ANTONY + CLEOPATRA because she's too busy filming movie musical MAMMA MIA! The thespian, who played reporter Mary Sunshine in the hit 2002 musical, was scheduled to portray Egyptian queen Cleopatra at The Duke theatre on 42nd Street in New York, but her filming schedule has made it impossible for her to commit to the role. Disappointed artistic director Jeffrey Horowitz says, "Christine would have been unique as Cleopatra. I looked forward to a thrilling collaboration with her." The production will go ahead as planned in March (08) with a replacement for Baranski to be announced.