At the risk of infuriating Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark enthusiasts, not all Broadway adaptations are created equal. The scramble to stage known properties and churn out jukebox musicals at a steady clip has made it best for Broadway fans to adopt a stance of cautious optimism whenever a new stage version of something made famous in another medium gets announced. As a result, you may be thrilled or nervous by this latest bit of musical news. Elton John is co-writing a Broadway spin on the film/novel The Devil Wears Prada. (Not to be confused with the band of the same name, but the world’s in a frightening place at the moment, so you’re welcome to have an extended imagine session about that scenario.)
Deadline reports that the English pop legend is co-writing Broadway’s Prada alongside playwright/essayist Paul Rudnick whose credits include the play Jeffrey, which was later adapted into a film, and the movie In & Out. Originally a bestselling novel by Lauren Weisberger, the book was then adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and an Oscar nominated Meryl Streep. (Stanley Tucci was a miracle in the film, as you might recall.) The events surround an aspiring journalist that gets put through the wringer as a put-upon junior assistant for a demanding fashion magazine editor.
“Re-imagining The Devil Wears Prada for the musical theatre is super exciting,” said John of his current project. “I’m a huge fan of both the book and the feature film and a huge aficionado of the fashion world. I can’t wait to sink my musical teeth into this hunk of popular culture.” John is certainly no stranger to musical productions. His résumé includes the likes of Aida, Billy Elliot: The Musical and The Lion King. Please accept our apologies for gluing “Circle of Life” to your brain just now. No additional details have tumbled out yet on what to expect from this Broadway version. We wish whoever has to fill Streep’s extremely expensive shoes as Miranda Priestly the best of luck.
(Via Deadline)
