Laura Benanti
Laura Benanti poked fun at her failed TV shows "Go On" and "The Playboy Club" at the 2013 Tony Awards, but Benanti can officially add a hit to her resume with new role as Sadie Stone on "Nashville" Season 3. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Laura Benanti was announced as a new cast member on “Nashville” Season 3, and no one is more excited than Connie Britton. The stars tweeted each other after Deadline posted the announcement.

Benanti will play a rising country star called Sadie Stone, and Benanti certainly has the musical chops needed for the show. The Broadway veteran won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Louise in “Gypsy.” She released her own album last year, "In Constant Search of the Right Kind Of Attention."

Country music might be a little different than showtunes, but the actress will be used to all the melodrama. Her character Sadie will become friends with Rayna, but friends aren’t always so friendly on “Nashville.” Writers responded to ideas of a Rayna/Sadie feud with a tweet.

It sounds like Rayna might have a new adversary. The protagonist actually needs a new competitor since Juliette is now signed to Rayna's record label. In the finale, Rayna was more motherly toward Juliette than ever before, even holding back the girl’s hair while she threw up and giving her relationship advice. Sadie could easily step into the villainous role Juliette was playing in the beginning of the series. Benanti might not want to cause too much drama, though. The actress is a fan of “Nashville” and made it clear that she doesn’t want to come between Deacon and Rayna.

Although she might not want to get involved in a love triangle, the writers might need to give Deacon a new love interest if Rayna turns down his marriage proposal. It’s not clear when Benanti will join the country music drama, but she might appear in episode 4. The day before Benanti was announced, “Nashville” writer Debra Fordham tweeted that she had just finished the script for Season 3 episode 4, titled “I Feel Sorry For Me,” and she tweeted Benanti the next day.

Titles for episode 1 and episode 2 were also released. The premiere will be called “That’s Me Without You,” and the following episode will be called “How Far Down Can I Go.” Based on those titles, it looks like Rayna isn’t going to accept Deacon’s marriage proposal, and he probably won’t take that news well. Granted, it could also be referring to Juliette who probably won’t take her breakup and possible pregnancy well.

Audiences will have to wait to find out what’s happening until the live premiere of “Nashville” Season 3 on Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC. What do you hope to see Sadie Stone do in the new season? Sound off in the comments section below.

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