Television viewers won’t find out for several weeks whether Megan Hilty wins the leading role in a fictional Broadway musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe on the new NBC series Smash. But in another, more tangible sense, she has already landed a part made famous by that cinema bombshell, as Lorelei Lee in the coming Encores! production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” at New York City Center.

Press representatives for Encores! said on Wednesday that Ms. Hilty would play the diamond-loving showgirl, portrayed by Carol Channing in the original 1949 Broadway musical and by Monroe in Howard Hawk‘s 1953 film adaptation. The musical will run at City Center from May 9 through 13 and will be directed by John Rando.

(via fuckyeahmeganhilty)