Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today.
Pretty Woman Aims for 2017 Bow
Well color us happy, the Pretty Woman musical about Vivian, the hooker with a heart of gold, is still very much in the works and is looking to make its world premiere next year! “J.F. Lawton, who wrote the original screenplay, and I have been doing the libretto,” Garry Marshall, the movie’s director, told Vanity Fair. He also revealed that two-time Tony winner Jerry Mitchell is on board to direct, with the score being penned by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. Expect some extra moments for the Edward Lewis character. “We wanted to get into more of his background…and what his relationship with his father was like.” There’ll additionally be numbers for Kit De Luca (Vivian’s BFF) and Barney Thompson (the hotel manager). Marshall also says that a cut line from the original film script is back in: “The letter V used to stand for victim. Now it stands for Vivian.” He explained: “That’s a part of the new show, too. I don’t like women to be victims. It’s time we stopped that."
Hang With Kristin Chenoweth
Want to snap a selfie with Kristin Chenoweth, have tea with BD Wong or go backstage with the cast at Disaster!? Well, thanks to an auction for Rosie’s Theater Kids, you will have a chance to do just that! Created by Rosie O’Donnell and Lori Klinger, the New York City arts education organization enriches the lives of kids through the arts, reaching more than 20,000 public school students every year.
Broadway Faves Set for Blissful Reading
William Youmans (Bright Star), Matt Shingledecker (Wicked), Stephanie Leigh (Mary Poppins) and more will lead a staged reading of Blissful the Musical at the Davenport Theatre on May 6. Directed by Daniel Goldstein and penned by Peter Copani, the new tuner tells the story of when an entrepreneur’s kindness is mistaken for weakness, giving way to intrigue, lust, love, betrayal and extortion.
Another Honor for Kelli O'Hara
Tony winner Kelli O’Hara is set to receive the Leadership Award for Arts & Healing at the Creative Alternatives of New York gala on May 16 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Hosted by Ann Hampton Callaway and Cady Huffman, the event raises funds for CANY, which uses drama therapy to empower children and adults who have endured trauma to rebuild their lives. And, just because it's Friday, check out O'Hara's performance from last year's Tony broadcast, below.