This just might be the news of the day! Broadway.com has learned exclusively that Sara Bareilles, songwriter and recent star of Waitress, has eyes on starring in Tony winner Duncan Sheik's previously reported stage adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Waitress book writer Jessie Nelson and Sheik's Spring Awakening co-writer Steven Sater are also at work on the new musical.
“Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson are collaborating on a new musical inspired by Alice in Wonderland," Bareilles told Broadway.com exclusively. "I am a huge fan of all of theirs and hopeful my schedule will allow me to perform in the new musical as things evolve! Lots of moving parts for me, but I will keep everyone posted!"
Bareilles earned acclaim for her stage-performance debut as Jenna in Waitress, for which she penned the tuner's Tony-nominated score. Sater won two Tony Awards as book writer and lyricist to Sheik's music of Spring Awakening. Waitress marked Nelson's Broadway debut as a book writer.
MCC Theater and Kurt Deutsch workshopped an early version of the musical, titled Alice by Heart, in December of 2015. It was directed by Lear DeBessonet and featured a book by Sater and score by Sheik and Sater. The starry cast included Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Ashley Park, Mary Testa, Anthony Ramos, Riley Costello, Molly Gordon, David Patrick Kelly, Andrew Mueller and Emmy Raver-Lampman.
Further details on the development of the new musical will be announced at a later date.