Keke Palmer is steadily expanding her brand!  The actress and new talk show host is gearing up to step into the title role in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella beginning September 9 at the Broadway Theatre in New York City. Working the Broadway grind of eight shows per week, Keke will be making history as the very first African American to fulfill the role.

"It's honestly one of those things that I can't believe is really happening," she told the Associated Press. "I'm very excited. Very excited and nervous as well — a bunch of feelings all at once."

Prior to Keke, the glass slipper was first worn by Tony-nominated actress Laura Osnes, then "Call Me Maybe" singer Carly Rae Jepsen, and most recently worn by experienced Broadway actress Paige Faure.

While Keke will serve as the first African American to portray Cinderella on the Broadway stage, she is not the first to fulfil the role across all platforms. In 1997, Brandy, whom Keke deems a massive inspiration, played the fairy tale starlet in a TV movie alongside the late Whitney Houston.

"I feel like the reason I'm able to do this is definitely because Brandy did it on TV," she said. "In me doing this, it shows everybody that everything is possible."

If being awarded the star role wasn't enough, the actress is excited to rock designer footwear.  "Every girl's dream is that story, so to be able to play is going to be a dream come true for me — not to mention that Stuart Weitzman made the glass slippers I'll be wearing."

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(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)