Popular Book The Devil Wears Prada Evolves Into Its Final Form: a Musical

At last, the ball’s rolling on Elton John’s long-promised musical reimagining of The Devil Wears Prada.

The Chicago Tribune reports that John’s melodious take on Miranda Priestley and Anne Hathaway’s extremely era-specific high fashion outfits will premiere on July 14, 2020 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. There’s no official word on casting yet (Emily Skinner and Krystina Alabado reportedly played the leads in a workshop in New York, but they haven’t been named yet) or whether or not John will compose a hot dance number titled “I Eat a Cube of Cheese.”

So far, the Tribune says Hadestown’s Shaina Taub will write lyrics and Paul Rudnick of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told is on board for the book. Anna D. Shapiro, who heads Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, will direct.

A self-professed musical theater nerd, I am approaching this one with caution, as I learned long ago—specifically in 2002, at an Anne of Green Gables musical on Prince Edward Island—that musical adaptations are surprisingly good at destroying books and films you love. (My friends who have seen the Mean Girls musical say that I am wrong. Feel free to debate them or agree.) Either way, the Chicago Devil iteration intends to run through at least August 16, 2020 before heading to Broadway, whereupon I will probably not be able to afford tickets to see it.