Louis-Dreyfus noses back to TV

Thesp teams with Carey in 'Geppetto'

By MICHAEL FLEMING

NEW YORK -- In what will be her first TV appearance since the finale of "Seinfeld," Julia Louis-Dreyfus will join Drew Carey in "Geppetto," the live-action retelling of the Pinocchio story told from the vantage point of his puppeteer father. Shooting begins June 7 for "The Wonderful World of Disney" musical, which will air during May sweeps next year.

Tom Moore will direct David I. Stern's script, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Mike Karz and Jim Pentecost are exec producing, with Ted Zachary line producing.

Louis-Dreyfus took a year off following the completion of her "Seinfeld" run as Elaine Benes, but she sparked to the idea of doing a musical. She will play the Blue Fairy, who grants Geppetto's wish for a son.

"I did this because of the singing and dancing, which isn't like anything I've done before," Louis-Dreyfus said. "The music is a hoot -- there are some fabulous numbers." She's up to the vocal and dancing challenges, she said, despite the hoofing limitations her "Seinfeld" character displayed in a memorable episode. "I haven't cut any albums, but I'm pretty capable," she said.

Don't, however, expect this move to presage a full-time return to the tube, even if the one-year sentence in the "Seinfeld" finale is just about up. "I guess that year is up, but, nah, I can assure you, I am not looking to work full-time right now," she said.

Louis-Dreyfus is repped by CAA and Bill Melamed of Rosenberg-Melamed Management.