It was inevitable that someone would put together a musical about Princess Diana. In the case of Diana, currently having its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse, those somebodies are Joe DiPietro and David Bryan. They were the creators of the musical, Memphis. That show won the Tony Award for Best Musical. Diana will run through April 14th.
Diana officially opened last week after several weeks of previews. Jeanna de Waal (Kinky Boots) plays Diana. Prince Charles is played by Roe Hartrampf (Off-Broadway’s The Bad Guys). Camilla Parker Bowles is played by Erin Davie (Side Show) and Queen Elizabeth is played by Judy Kaye (Souvenir, Anastasia).
As befitting a musical about the world’s fairytale princess, the show opens with a song called Once Upon a Time. Of course we know it won’t end with a song entitled Happily Ever After. But it doesn’t end with Paparazzi either. (Actually the last song is called If.)
Christopher Ashley, the Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse and also the director of Memphis, helms Diana. The choreography is by Kelly Devine (Come From Away). David Zinn (SpongeBob SquarePants) is the production designer and six-time Tony Award winner William Ivey Long (Hairspray) created the costumes.
It is probably a huge task to play someone as beloved as Princess Diana was. We all have our own ideas of who she was and how she acted. Queen Elizabeth, however, has been played memorably by multiple actresses. In the hands of the sublimely talented Judy Kaye, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her steal the show.
The La Jolla Playhouse has regularly seen its productions move to Broadway. There are very good odds Diana finds itself a home on the Great White Way next season.
Production Photos by Little Fang/Courtesy of La Jolla Playhouse