The Devil Wears Prada…The Musical! That’s All….

• Timothy Fitzgerald

It’s one of my favorite films. And now it’s going to be presented on stage in a musical format with music by Sir Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub, and book by Paul Rudnick.

And just announced, Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro, a 2008 Tony winner for her direction of August: Osage County, has been named as the director.

We all know the story of Andy Sachs, played in the film by Anne Hathaway determined to become a serious writer, who winds up as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the severely overbearing editor-in-chief of fashion magazine Runway. Andy gets reluctantly enticed and swept up into the madness of the fashion world. What ensues has Andy questioning her personal values versus her desire to become a writer.

Dates and timeline have not been announced yet.

I get a little uneasy on the film to stage transition with all the nuances potentially getting lost in the process. There is only so much one can do to maintain the magic of the film and transfer it to a live stage. Of course, there have been some films which have successfully achieved the process, such as The Full Monty and Kinky Boots, to name a couple.

My hope is that this will be an overwhelming success but in the meantime, I remain a little skeptical. But then again, Sir Elton and Lion King proved me wrong in the past. I did not want to see the show, being a Disney purist, but after a friend got me tickets, I was sort of obligated to go. Bottom line, after the first five minutes in the theatre, I was swept away in the magic and artistry.

How about you? Pros and cons???