Betsy Wolfe to Lead Joy: A New True Musical Off-Broadway This Summer

Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe will take on the title role in Joy: A New True Musical, coming to the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre for an eight-week run this summer. Wolfe will star as businesswoman and inventor Joy Mangano, best known for creating the Miracle Mop. Previews begin June 21 ahead of a July 20 opening. 

Joy: A New True Musical features music and lyrics by Grammy and Tony Award nominee AnnMarie Milazzo, choreography by Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse and direction by Lorin Latarro. The musical is based on Mangano's autobiography Inventing Joy and the 2015 film Joy, starring Jennifer Lawrence. The show debuted in 2022 at New Jersey's George Street Playhouse starring Erika Henningsen. 

Wolfe's Broadway credits include Falsettos, Waitress and, most recently & Juliet, for which she earned a 2023 Tony nomination. “Joy is the fighter, the unsung hero in all of us," said Wolfe in a statement. "At a time where women were often left to stifle dreams, her love for her family led her to do something extraordinary and shows us all what it looks like to believe in yourself."

The creative team includes Tony Award nominee Anna Louizos (scenic design), Tina McCartney (costume design), Tony Award winner Kai Harada and Haley Parcher (sound design), Tony Award nominee David Bengali (projection and video design), Darion Matthews (hair and wig design), Andy Einhorn (music supervisor), Jillian Zack (music director) and Christine D’Amore (production stage manager).

Last month, Milazzo released The Shape of Things: Songs From Joy The Musical, a concept album inspired by the musical.