The new stage musical adaptation of Some Like It Hot has set its Broadway bow, with performances scheduled to begin at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre November 1, ahead of a December 11 opening night. Adapted from the 1959 film written and directed by Billy WIlder, the musical features a book by The Inheritance Tony winner Matthew López and Amber Ruffin and a score by Hairspray's Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with the former providing music and both contributing lyrics.
The cast will be led by Tony winner Christian Borle as Joe/Josephine, J. Harrison Ghee as Jerry/Daphne, and Adrianna Hicks as Sugar, along with Kevin Del Aguila as Osgood, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Sweet Sue, Adam Heller as Mulligan, and Mark Lotitio as Spats, all of whom also participated in a developmental workshop earlier this year. Additional casting is to be announced.
The Book of Mormon and Mean Girls' Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph, leading a creative team that includes scenic designer Scott Pask, costume designer Gregg Barnes, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Brian Ronan, hair and wig designer Josh Marquette, make-up designer Milagros Medina-Cerdiera, music supervisor Mary-Mitchell Campbell, music director Darryl Archibald, orchestrators Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, and dance and incidental music arranger Glen Kelly. The production is cast by The Telsey Office.
A pre-Broadway tryout production, once set for 2021 in Chicago, was scrapped due to the pandemic, clearing the runway for the work to receive its world premiere on the Main Stem.
Inspired by the French film Fanfare of Love, Some Like It Hot follows two Prohibition-era jazz musicians in Chicago (played on screen by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), who witness a mob hit and go into hiding by disguising themselves as members of an all-female band. Through their escape plot, the two become enamored with the band's singer and ukulele player, Sugar, played on screen by Marilyn Monroe. The film was previously adapted for the stage as the 1972 musical Sugar, with a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and a book by Peter Stone.
Ruffin’s involvement, as previously reported, signals a departure from the source material, resulting in a new take that the writer calls “honestly groundbreaking.” The character of Sugar has been reworked and is now a Black woman.
“It is an exciting proposition to create a show with characters whose race is instrumental and not incidental to the story,” Lopez said in an earlier statement. “It became apparent to me that if we were to honor our commitment to tell that story with honesty and integrity, it required a Black creative voice on the team. It didn’t take long for all of us to agree that Amber was the person to approach.”
Presale tickets are available exclusively to American Express cardholders through April 27, when Audience Rewards members will gain access beginning at 10 AM ET. General tickets will go on sale beginning May 2.
Some Like It Hot is produced by the Shubert Organization and Neil Meron and co-produced by MGM on Stage, Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander, and Kenny Leon. D. S. Moynihan is executive producer.
Visit SomeLikeItHotMusical.com.
