Theatermania
Faith Prince to Take On the Bette Midler Role in New First Wives Club Stage Musical
The musical, featuring a score by Motown legends Holland-Dozier-Holland, will play Chicago’s Oriental Theatre.
By David Gordon Ӣ Nov 5, 2014 Ӣ Chicago
Tony Award winner Faith Prince will star in the newly revised stage musical First Wives Club, which begins performances February 17, 2015, at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre. Directed by Simon Phillips, the Broadway-bound production officially opens March 11 and runs through March 29.
Prince will take on the role of Brenda, originated in the popular 1996 film by Bette Midler. She will be joined by Carmen Cusack (Carrie) as Annie (the Diane Keaton role) and Christine Sherrill (Mamma Mia! in Las Vegas) as Elise (first played by Goldie Hawn). Full casting will be revealed in the coming weeks.
This First Wives Club features a book by Designing Women cocreator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that was inspired by Olivia Goldsmith’s novel, Robert Harling’s screenplay, and an earlier version of the stage musical penned by Rupert Holmes. The score is crafted by the legendary Motown music-writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland and features new songs and classics like “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “I Can’t Help Myself,” and “Reach Out…I’ll Be There.”
The musical First Wives Club, with a book by Holmes, first premiered in 2009 at the La Jolla Playhouse in a production directed by Francesca Zambello that starred Karen Ziemba, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Barbara Walsh.
Mr. D, do you think Miss M has the pipes to sing in a musical 8 times a week? Her voice is divine, but that is so demanding.
She obviously thinks she can….she’s going to be running and doing vocal exercises according to her…xx