Diana: The Musical - What We Know So Far
Taking the life of Princess Diana and transforming it into a Broadway musical is a compelling if odd idea. It's not as if there isn't a hunger for real-life tales on the Great White Way, as the runaway success of "Hamilton" proves. The late princess has been an object of fascination for generations, after all, and her romantic, tragic, and meteoric arc across the international stage certainly makes it a worthwhile creative subject.
Composers Joe DiPietro (book and lyrics) and David Bryan (music and lyrics) are about to make that concept a reality with "Diana: The Musical." With a recorded version of the stage show ready to air, fans of the late princess, Broadway musicals, and those with a curiosity for something new will soon be able to see the performance for themselves. Where can they watch it, who will be in it, and what will it be the story? Let's talk about all things Diana.
When will Diana the Musical be released on Netflix?
"Diana: The Musical" will be available to stream on Netflix starting on October 1, according to Deadline. Because the musical was shot some time in 2020, there's no need to be concerned that delays will prevent "Diana" from airing as a special event at the appointed October date.
Musical fans who are hungry to sample the show's score and preview the songs included in the show are in for a treat, as the official "Diana: The Musical" YouTube channel has posted the numbers "If" and "Underestimated," as performed by Jeanna De Waal, in their full forms.
For those who enjoy the musical and want to experience it live, "Diana" is set to return to live preview performances on November 2, according to the musical's official website. Opening night is currently scheduled for November 17 at the Longacre Theatre in New York. For those that can't make it to Manhattan, the Netflix version should be a good compromise.
Who stars in Diana The Musical?
The Netflix version of the musical will feature the show's Broadway cast, recorded without a live audience, in 2020.
According to the play's official website, a digitized playbill for the show's pre-Broadway run at the La Jolla Playhouse, and the Deadline article, the filmed version's cast includes Jeanna de Waal as Diana, Roe Hartrampf playing Prince Charles, Erin Davie in the role of Camilla Parker Bowles and Judy Kaye portraying Queen Elizabeth. Bruce Dow portrays Paul Burrell, Gareth Keegan acts the role of James Hewitt, and Nathan Lucrezio is Di biographer and journalist Andrew Morton.
Featured as part of the ensemble are Zach Adkins, Tessa Alves, Ashley Andrews, Austen Danielle Bohmer, Holly Ann Butler, Stephen Carrasco, Richard Gatta, Lauren E.J. Hamilton, Emma Hearn, Shaye B. Hopkins, André Jordan, Tomás Matos, Chris Medlin, Laura Stracko and Bethany Ann Tesarck.
According to Deadline, costumes were crafted by William Ivey Long, and the ensemble is directed by Christopher Ashley, with Kelly Devine handling choreography.
What is Diana the Musical about?
As one might guess, "Diana" follows Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer from their first meeting through their courtship, marriage, and the birth of their two sons. The narrative does not seem to whitewash the truth, and the constant presence of Camilla Parker Bowles, Charles' eventual second wife, is felt throughout the musical. Also making an appearance is James Hewitt, the riding instructor whom Diana allegedly had an affair with. Queen Elizabeth, Charles' mother, is omnipresent throughout the entire musical, with one eye on her son and the other on the health of the nation.
The final song on the score, "If," is delivered from Diana's point of view as she prepares to move on to the afterlife, which suggests that the production will indeed run the gamut from her first meeting with Prince Charles to the Andrew Morton and "revenge dress" days. Fans of the princess should be delighted by DiPietro and Bryan's interpretation of Diana's life and times.