| The Devil Wears Prada | |
|---|---|
| A New Musical | |
 West End Promotional Poster | |
| Music | Elton John |
| Lyrics | Shaina Taub Mark Sonnenblick |
| Book | Kate Wetherhead |
| Basis | The Devil Wears Prada byLauren Weisberger The Devil Wears Prada byAline Brosh McKenna |
| Premiere | July 19, 2022:James M. Nederlander Theatre, Chicago |
| Productions | 2022Chicago 2024Plymouth 2024West End |
The Devil Wears Prada is amusical based on the2003 novel of the same name byLauren Weisberger as well as the2006 film of the same name with a screenplay byAline Brosh McKenna. The musical has music byElton John, lyrics byShaina Taub andMark Sonnenblick, and a book byKate Wetherhead.
Andy Sachs, a recent college graduate with dreams of becoming a journalist, moves to New York City and unexpectedly lands a job as assistant to Miranda Priestly, the powerful and feared editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. Despite having no interest in fashion, Andy accepts the position, hoping it will open doors for her writing career.
At first, Andy struggles to survive in the fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Her co-workers, including Miranda's senior assistant Emily, mock her lack of style, and Miranda constantly demands perfection. Overwhelmed and frustrated, Andy nearly quits, but after encouragement from Nigel, Runway's creative director, she decides to adapt. With Nigel's help, she undergoes a stunning transformation in her wardrobe and attitude, impressing Miranda and her colleagues.
As Andy becomes more skilled and confident, she also becomes more distant from her boyfriend Nate and her old friends, who feel she is losing herself to the fashion world. When Miranda's marriage begins to collapse and her job is threatened, Andy becomes deeply entangled in the politics of Runway. Emily falls ill before the Paris Fashion Week trip, and Miranda chooses Andy to go in her place, leaving Emily heartbroken.
In Paris, Andy experiences the height of luxury and success, but she also witnesses the personal sacrifices that Miranda makes to stay on top. When Miranda betrays Nigel to secure her own power, Andy is disillusioned by how ruthless the industry can be. Realizing she no longer wants to follow the same path, Andy quits her job and leaves Runway, ready to pursue her own dreams on her own terms.
Later, as she starts a new chapter in her career, Andy glimpses Miranda from afar. Miranda gives a subtle nod of approval, acknowledging Andy's growth and independence before moving on with her usual poise.
In 2015, it was reported thatBroadwayproducerKevin McCollum had signed a deal two years earlier with Fox to develop some of the films from its back catalog intomusicals for the stage. Two he expressed particular interest in wereMrs. Doubtfire (1993) andThe Devil Wears Prada. Early in 2017, McCollum announced that in partnership with Fox Stage Productions, he was developing a musical version ofThe Devil Wears Prada (based on both the film and the book).Elton John andShaina Taub would be writing the score and lyrics for the project with playwrightPaul Rudnick, who had written some early scenes for the screenplay,[1] writing thebook and lyrics. McCollum did not say when he expected it to premiere but hoped it would eventually play on Broadway.[2]
In July 2019, the show held its first industry-only presentation of the initial reading for the show. It featuredEmily Skinner asMiranda Priestly,Krystina Alabado as Andy,Heléne Yorke as Emily andMario Cantone as Nigel.[3] There had been no announcement about future workshops or tryouts before the anticipated Broadway run. Daniel Hoyos led the company management team with Alexa Bishop and Bella Cordova.[4]
In September 2019, a premiere run was announced for July and August 2020 at theJames M. Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. According to producerKevin McCollum, it was important to directorAnna D. Shapiro, artistic director of theSteppenwolf Theater Company, also located in Chicago, to have the show premiere there.[5]
In December 2019, the Chicago production was postponed for a year to start in July 2021, to allow the creative team more time to work on the show.[6]Beth Leavel was announced to play the role of Miranda Priestly, withTaylor Iman Jones in the role of Andy Sachs. In January 2021, producers announced that the show would be delayed another year to July 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.[7]
The Chicago production played its first preview performance on July 19, 2022, and played a limited run through August 21. The run was billed as pre-Broadway and the cast included the previously announced Jones and Leavel, alongsideJavier Muñoz as Nigel Owens, Christiana Cole as Lauren, Megan Masako Haley as Emily Charlton, Tiffany Mann as Kayla, and Michael Tacconi as Nate Angstrom.[8] In a September 2022 interview withZoe Ball, Sir Elton John stated the show was not ready for subsequent stagings, adding "It'll be ready in about another year."[9]
On September 13, 2023, it was announced that the musical would have its UK premiere at theTheatre Royal, Plymouth as an exclusive preview engagement in July 2024 before a scheduled opening at theDominion Theatre inLondon'sWest End in October 2024. It would be a new production directed and choreographed byJerry Mitchell with set design byTim Hatley, costume design byGregg Barnes, lighting design by Bruno Poet, sound design byGareth Owen and casting by Jill Green CDG. Due to Taub performing in her musicalSuffs,Mark Sonnenblick joined the creative team as an additional lyricist, as well as providing revisions in direct consultation with Taub.[10]
In February 2024,Vanessa Williams was announced as Miranda Priestly,[11] with British actorMatt Henry joining her as Nigel.[12] Full casting was announced in June 2024. Joining Williams and Henry are Georgie Buckland as Andy,Amy Di Bartolomeo as Emily, Rhys Whitfield as Nate, and James Darch as Christian.[13]
On 30 September 2025 a new cast and extension was announced. The show will now run until 26 September 2026 featuring Stevie Doc as Andy, Talia Halford as Emily and Keelan McAuley as Nate. It was also announced thatVanessa Williams andMatt Henry had extended their run as Miranda and Nigel, respectively, through to 18 April 2026. Casting for the roles of Miranda, Standby Miranda, Nigel and Christian from April 2026 are to be announced.[14]
| Character | Chicago | West End |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2024 | |
| Miranda Priestly | Beth Leavel | Vanessa Williams |
| Andy Sachs | Taylor Iman Jones | Georgie Buckland |
| Nigel Owens | Javier Muñoz | Matt Henry |
| Emily Charlton | Megan Masako Haley | Amy Di Bartolomeo |
| Nate Angstrom | Michael Tacconi | Rhys Whitfield |
| Christian Thompson | Christian Thompson | James Darch |
| Standby Miranda | n/a | Debbie Krupp[15] |
Notable Cast Replacement
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The Chicago production officially opened on August 8 and received universally poor reviews. In theNew York Post, Johnny Oleksinski said the show was "alarmingly un-fun and sluggish," adding that "every song is lousy, and there is nothing here worth fixing."[16]
TheChicago Tribune's Chris Jones lamented that the show needed "the addition of more wit and irreverence to Wetherhead’s book and Shaina Taub’s lyrics." He also felt that Arianne Phillips' costumes lacked the cutting-edge of true fashion house designs, a critique shared by Steven Oxman ofVariety.[17][18]
Reviewers inThe Washington Post,The New York Times, andBroadwayWorld all agreed that the story had its moments, but overall lacked the bite of the novel or film.[19][20][21]
For her performance as Emily, Amy Di Bartolomeo received a nomination for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.[22]
