Waking Ned Devine Musical in the Works from Once's Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard

A musical based on the 1998 Fox Searchlight film Waking Ned Devine is in the works from the Academy Award-winning composers of Once. Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard are writing the music and lyrics for the project with Tony Award nominee David Hein (Come from Away) attached as book writer. Tony winner John Doyle will direct.

A production timeline for the Broadway-bound musical will be announced later.

John Doyle said in a statement, “Waking Ned Devine attracted me as a funny, heartwarming musical that serves as a timely reminder of the value of community. The inhabitants of a small Irish village working together, overcoming self-interest and greed, all for the good of their families and neighbors.

“No one could be better than Markéta and Glen to bring out the musicality in these Celtic characters and David is unmatched in his ability to find the heart and humanity in such a story.”

Waking Ned Devine was written and directed by Kirk Jones, and shot in the village of Cregneash in the Isle of Man.

Ned Devine has won a fortune in the lottery and his fellow residents in a small Irish village are eager to find ways to share in his newfound wealth. However, there’s a major challenge that Ned’s friends and neighbors must face that sets off a wonderfully funny and life-affirming story about testing friendship and the corrupting power of money.