Honolulu Star Advertiser
Bette Midler signs on as musical’s producer
By Wayne Harada
Add “producer” to the many show biz hats worn by Hawaii’s Bette Midler. The Divine Miss M gets top billing, as a producer/investor, when the Broadway-bound musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” arrives at Times Square‘s Palace Theatre on Feb. 28 for previews, leading up to its March 20 premiere.
This hit show with Sydney and London origins recently played in Toronto. It is based on the 1994 film about the misadventures of three Down Under drag queens who travel by bus across the Australian outback. Tony Sheldon will reprise the role of Bernadette, and expect Tony buzz. The musical score embraces disco and Top 40 faves of the era and would likely appeal to the “Mamma Mia” crowd.
Midler joins a celeb producer’s club that already includes Oprah Winfrey (“The Color Purple”), Elton John (“Next Fall”) and Jay-Z, Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith (“Fela!”). …
