No performances of the show have yet been confirmed, but the show has announced a pretty distinguished team to help bring the story to the stage. Maybe Happy Ending‘s and Parade‘s Michael Arden will direct, with choreography from Funny Girl choreographer Ayodele Casel and The Lost Boys‘ Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher “Cree” Grant. The Pee-wee Herman Show puppet designer Basil Twist will also lend his skills to the production, along with Wicked costume designer Susan Hilferty. This take on Happy Feet hopes to end up on Broadway.
You’ll notice that there aren’t any composers or songwriters listed. The original movie is a jukebox musical, featuring tracks from Prince, Stevie Wonder, Queen, and more, and those songs are expected to be in the final show, along with some new (well, old) additions. This sounds more or less like the strategy with the recent Broadway production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which maintained its original soundtrack but added tracks like Lorde’s “Royals” or “Chandelier” by Sia to the stage production. Don’t be surprised when these penguins (puppets?) are tap dancing to “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone or Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” when this thing makes it to Broadway in a couple of years.
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