Regional NewsWorld Premiere of Diana Musical, About Late Princess Diana, Begins Previews February 19Tony winner Christopher Ashley directs the new musical at La Jolla Playhouse.
By
Andrew Gans
February 19, 2019
The world-premiere musical Diana begins previews February 19 in La Jolla Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre prior to an official opening March 3. The new show was recently extended by one week through April 7.
Diana, about the life of late Princess Diana, features the Tony Award-winning Memphis creative team: librettist-lyricist Joe DiPietro, composer-lyricist David Bryan, and Playhouse Artistic Director and 2017 Tony winner Christopher Ashley, who directs, along with Tony-nominated choreographer Kelly Devine and music supervisor Ian Eisendrath.
Jeanna de Waal stars in the title role. In the video above, the actor, whose Broadway credits include American Idiot and Kinky Boots, says, “I hope people who didn't know about or weren't aware of her journey leave the theatre with an idea of what she did for the world. She made everyone feel special.”
She is joined by Erin Davie (Broadway’s Side Show) as Camilla Parker Bowles, Roe Hartrampf (Off-Broadway’s Bad Guys) as Prince Charles, and Tony Award winner Judy Kaye (ThePhantom of the Opera) as Queen Elizabeth.
Also in the cast are Holly Ann Butler, Taylor Coleman, Eric Coles, Bruce Dow, Evan Duff, Madison Noelle Hall, Shaye Hopkins, Nicole Javier, Justin Keats, Gareth Keegan, Nathan Lucrezio, Tomas Matos, Allyn Moriyon, Lauren Livia Muehl, Jamen Nanthakumar, Enrico Nassi, Katheryne Penny, Lindsay Roberts, Tara Shoemaker, and Bethany Ann Tesarck.
The production also has scenic designs by Tony Award winner David Zinn (SpongeBob SquarePants), costumes by Tony Award winner William Ivey Long (Broadway’s Cinderella, Grey Gardens), lighting by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (An American in Paris, Frozen), sound design by Tony Award nominee Gareth Owen (Come From Away), orchestrations by John Clancy, and casting by Telsey + Company – Rachel Hoffman, CSA.
