"The Crucible" director Nicholas Hytner has contracted with Columbia Pictures to direct a drama about the cutthroat world of ballet  Slippers.

The project, which goes under the moniker "City Ballet," follows three would-be ballerinas and their struggles to succeed in one of the world's greatest ballet companies. 

The original draft was written by Carol Heikkinen ("Empire Records"), who spent time at the American City Ballet to research the project. The script is undergoing a rewrite by Wendy Wasserstein, who collaborated with Hytner on "The Object of My Affection" and spent much of her childhood in training to become a professional ballerina. Columbia is aiming for a summer start, providing the receipt of an acceptable final draft.

Laurence Mark, who collaborated with Hytner on "The Object of My Affection," will produce the picture. Matt Tolmach, senior vp production at Columbia, will serve as the executive in charge of production. Creative exec Rachel O'Connor will also work on the project.

Two of the leading roles are earmarked for actresses who have strong backgrounds in dance, but the lead as well as many supporting roles is to be cast with ballet company members.

As recently as two months ago, Hytner was reportedly still planning to direct the long-in-development "Chicago." However, sources close to the director say that pairing appears unlikely.