First Netflix, then Broadway?
In an unusual move, a musical about Princess Diana is coming to Netflix two months before it’s scheduled to make a Broadway debut, The New York Times reported.
When does ‘Diana’ hit Netflix and Broadway?
Princess Diana has remained a subject of fascination since her death in 1997, but recent events like Season 4 of the Netflix series “The Crown” and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah have brought her even more into the spotlight. A movie about Princess Diana, starring Kristen Stewart, is also expected to start filming this year, the Deseret News reported.
Now, the musical “Diana” — which was filmed last September in an empty Broadway theater — will hit Netflix on Oct. 1. According to The New York Times, the musical doesn’t include Princess Diana’s children, Prince William and Prince Harry.
“You see Diana become a mother, but her children are not in the musical,” Beth Williams, a lead producer on the production, told The New York Times. “We’re telling the story of a complicated marriage, and at the same time we’re telling a coming-of-age story, and we’ve always seen it as a celebration of Princess Diana, whose legacy will live forever.”
Although Broadway has not yet announced when it is reopening, producers are aiming at a Dec. 16 opening date for “Diana” — 625 days after its original opening night that was shuttered because of the pandemic, The New York Times reported.
When will Broadway reopen?
In a press conference last month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he expects Broadway shows to reopen by September, according to NPR.
“Broadway needs to come back, and we will move heaven and earth to bring Broadway back,” the mayor said, according to NPR.
Broadway has remained closed since March 2020. The shutdown forced a temporary end to 31 plays and musicals and also affected the debut of new musicals like “Diana,” the Deseret News reported.
“Diana” is one of the first Broadway shows to put tickets on sale and set an opening date, The New York Times reported.
Tickets for the musicals “Jagged Little Pill” and “Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of the Temptations” are also currently on sale, according to the New York Post, with performances for “Ain’t Too Proud” starting Sept. 7.
“If some miracle happened — the (COVID-19) incidence rate went down dramatically, the vaccination rate went up dramatically — (Broadway’s return) could be sooner,” said Broadway League President Charlotte St. Martin, according to Broadway World. “But as of right now, we’re looking at September.”