'Leap of Faith' to jump to Broadway FILE - In this May 15, 2009 file photo, actor Raul Esparza attends the 75th anniversary of the...

'Leap of Faith' to jump to Broadway

FILE - In this May 15, 2009 file photo, actor Raul Esparza attends the 75th anniversary of the Drama League Awards ceremony in New York. Esparza will star in a new Broadway musical based on the motion picture "Leap of Faith," beginning previews on April 3, 2012.(Photo/AP)

NEW YORK — Someone on Broadway is finally taking a leap of faith on "Leap of Faith."

Producers announced Thursday that the much-delayed musical based on the 1992 film starring Steve Martin as a shady preacher will start performances April 3 at the St. James Theatre.

The show had its world premiere in late 2010 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and has been a work in progress ever since. It boasts music by Alan Menken and will be directed by Christopher Ashley.

The Broadway version will again star Raul Esparza, who plays Jonas Nightingale, a fraudulent faith healer ready to scam residents of a dusty, down-and-out Kansas town.

The cast will also feature Jessica Phillips from "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" and Kendra Kassebaum of "Wicked."

(Agencies)