The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has Broadway stages still closed but the cast and crew of the Broadway musical “Diana” are taking their show straight to Netflix.
The musical tells the story of the late Princess Diana who learns how “to break free of the confines of the British royal family” while also exploring her ample amounts of charity work and her glamorous style. Jeanna de Waal stars in the title role of Diana, Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles, Erin Davie as Camilla Parker Bowles, and Tony winner Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth, according to Playbill.
“Diana” was originally supposed to open March 31 at the Longacre Theater but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused plenty of shows to postpones their dates over the last five months.
But the “Diana” cast and crew will join together in an empty theater to perform for the cameras, allowing the finished product to be produced on Netflix, per USA Today.
The Actors Equity Association has ensured that safety protocols are in place to keep everyone on set safe and healthy, including recurring testing and ventilation in the theater according to The New York Times.
According to Playbill, the new opening date for the musical is May 25, 2021.
“Diana” will be released on Netflix sometime soon.
In a joint statement, the lead producers said, “We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn’t be more excited to finally be able share our show with theater lovers everywhere. Though there is no substitute for the live theater, we are honored to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide.”
This won't be Netflix’s first time streaming live theatrical work as they have done so with Kerry Washington’s “American Son” along with Bruce Springsteen’s one-man musical. Currently, they are finishing up Ryan Murphy’s “The Prom,” according to The New York Times.