A former top winner of the Miss Hong Kong Pageant has been selected to help the Broadway musical 42nd Street boost its appeal in China.

Marsha Yuan, runner-up of the 1999 pageant will take on a role when the musical tours China in September.

The two-time Tony Award-winning musical is slated to kick off its tour in Shanghai on September 3.

Although her role is yet to be announced, director Mark Bramble said at a Tuesday press conference in Shanghai that the production team has decided to add some local faces to the cast, and he thinks Marsha Yuan will be capable of handling any role in the musical.

He came to the favorable impression of Marsha by studying several Chinese films she has starred in.

However, Bramble acknowledged that the 29-year-old actress still needs trainings to polish her musical skills.

42nd Street revolves around a young chorus girl named Peggy Sawyer, who works all her way up to become a Broadway star.

The plot somewhat reflects Marsha Yuan's own story. As daughter of Chinese veteran actress Cheng Pei-Pei, she began learning musical performance at the tender age of 12.

The wannabe starlet says she will continue to chase her long-cherished dream of becoming a Broadway star, even though she hasn't made it on Broadway after spending eight years in New York looking for opportunities.

Actress Marsha Yuan is seen here in an undated photo. Marsha Yuan, runner-up of the 1999 Miss Hong Kong Pageant, has been selected to help the Broadway musical 42nd Street boost its appeal in China.

(CRI.cn August 9, 2007)