Can you believe that 15 years have passed since Andy Sachs first stumbled into Miranda Priestly’s office, transforming from a dowdy and awkward wannabe journalist into the chic assistant to the fashion world’s most powerful figure? The Devil Wears Prada remains one of the most ridiculously rewatchable movies of the 21st century so far. Its cultural cache is so great, in fact, that a stage musical has been created, and after seven years of swirling rumours and production delays, it kicks off in Chicago next week.
The musical was originally supposed to premiere in July 2020, but the pandemic pushed that back two whole years. We’re sure, in the in-between time, the team behind the production have finessed it pretty well.
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It’s written by Kate Wetherhead, previously a writer on the web series Submissions Only, and directed by Anna D. Shapiro, a Tony-winning stage director known for her production of August: Osage County. You can expect high energy from the choreo too: Beyoncé’s go-to choreographer James Alsop has joined the show’s creative line-up.
Meanwhile, the music for the show is headed up by Elton John, who’s admitted to being a big fan of the movie. Elton, of course, has a history of making musicals that become cultural juggernauts. Don’t forget he was the man behind the songs for The Lion King and Billy Elliott. He’s previewed three of the tracks so far in an interview with People Magazine. You can hear them here.
The cast for the show has finally been announced too. The character of Miranda Priestly will be played by Beth Leavel, the Tony-winning stage actor who’s previously appeared in The Prom and Mamma Mia. Taylor Iman Jones is playing Andy Sachs, fresh off the back of her run in the Los Angeles production of Hamilton.
As is standard for most large scale productions in the US, the show will be having a test run in Chicago from 19 July to 21 August at Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre, where audiences will get to enjoy the musical for the first time. As for when it’s set to hit Broadway? That’s still undecided, but we imagine by 2023, New Yorkers will be able to see the tale of an unlikely journalist in their own city trying to make it to the top of the fashion mag ladder. You can book your tickets for the production here.
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