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Just as we reported yesterday, Broadway star Shoshana Bean will be the replacement for Melanie “Mel B” Brown in Planet Hollywood’s sexy new burlesque, PEEPSHOW. Bean will assume the role of “Peep Diva” for three months beginning with her first performance on June 22.
Bean, a Broadway veteran and talented recording artist, made her Broadway debut in the original cast of the Tony Award-winning production of Hairspray, which is where she met PEEPSHOW creator, choreographer, and director Jerry Mitchell. Click here to read our interview with Mitchell when PEEPSHOW was first unveiled.
Bean went on to star in the Broadway sensation Wicked, taking over the role of Elphaba from Idina Menzel, and for the past year, she’s been touring and promoting her debut album Superhero. However, Mitchell always kept her in mind for future projects, and when producers decided not to renew Mel B’s contract as originally planned, Mitchell reached out to Bean for the role.
“Shoshana is a brilliant and gifted performer and a perfect fit for PEEPSHOW,” said co-CEO of Base Entertainment, Scott Zeiger. “She is a triple threat – she can sing, dance, and act and her theatrical experience will bring a whole new element to the stage at Planet Hollywood.”
When Monaco and Brown depart, Bean will be starring in the show opposite Holly Madison, who’s taking over for Monaco. The Broadway star isn’t expected to go topless – even though it’s said that Madison will be – and may even be wearing more clothes in the show than Mel B did.
However, it’s her voice and talent, rather than her body, that will be wowing the audience.
“My name won’t bring people in, and I obviously don’t have Mel B’s body, but I can sing and that is why I have a place at the table. I am a singer,” Bean told Los Angeles Times reporter Richard Abowitz.
As such, Bean should fit in well in the show. PEEPSHOW, aside from being a platter of eye candy in the way of beautiful women and stunning sets, is a rather musical show with a catchy soundtrack of original songs and popular hits. It also has a live, all-female band of musicians.
It’s said that Mitchell will head into Las Vegas next week to begin working with Madison, who has already begun rehearsals for the show. Sources say that Bean herself will arrive Friday night, when she’ll see the show and meet her co-star for the first time.
If you haven’t seen PEEPSHOW yet or want to see how its new stars will fit into the scintillating striptease production, get your PEEPSHOW tickets right here on BestOfVegas.com.
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