John Legend & Lynn Nottage ‘Imitation Of Life’ Broadway Musical In Development With Liesl Tommy Directing

A stage musical adaptation of the Fannie Hurst novel Imitation of Life and its film versions is under development at Universal Theatrical Group, with Lynn Nottage writing the book and John Legend handling the music and lyrics. Liesl Tommy is attached to direct.

Following a private industry reading that took place April 24-28 in New York City, Universal Theatrical Group — the live theater division of Universal Pictures — announced the further development of the project today.

Imitation of Life will be produced for the stage by Universal Theatrical Group and Get Lifted Film Co. The musical is being developed for Broadway.

The novel originally was published in 1933, with Universal Pictures producing two film adaptations — the first directed by John Stahl in 1934 and starring Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers, and the second in 1959, with stars Lana Turner and Juanita Moore directed by Douglas Sirk. The 1934 film was Oscar-nominated, and the ’59 version earned Supporting Actress nominations for both Moore and Susan Kohner.

“When I met with Universal Theatrical Group to talk about a possible collaboration, the only title I wanted to discuss was Imitation of Life,” said director Tommy in a statement. “I’d long been a fan of the book, and I knew there was a passionate, contemporary and newly relevant adaptation of this story uniquely suited to musical theater. To my mind the only collaborators for this beautifully complex, wholly American story are Lynn Nottage and John Legend; thankfully, they agreed to join me immediately in bringing their creativity and immense talents to this re-telling. We are thrilled to partner with UTG as we turn a whole new lens on Imitation of Life, using this great American art form to illuminate and uplift Black life.”

Although details of the two films and the novel differ, all three share a main plotline: Two women, one Black and one white, become friends and, in some versions, business partners, each raising a daughter who also become friends. Perhaps most memorable in all three versions is the relationship between the Black woman and her daughter, who attempts to identify publicly as white, much to her mother’s heartbreak.

The musical’s casting and a production timeline were not announced today. Wagner Johnson Productions will serve as General Manager.