The Broadway musical about the late Diana, Princess of Wales’s life, is set to premiere on Netflix after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the new show from performing on its original opening night on 31 March.
Diana: A New Musical will now air on Netflix before the curtains open back up for its premiere on Broadway on 25 May 2021. It will be on the streaming service at some point before its stage premiere in 2021, but a specific date has not yet been announced. It is set to be filmed in an empty Longacre Theatre in New York, following all health and safety protocols.
Producers, Grove Entertainment, The Araca Group, and Frank Marshall, revealed the news on Wednesday morning. They said in a statement: “We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn’t be more excited to finally be able share our show with theatre lovers everywhere. Though there is no substitute for the live theatre, we are honoured to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide.”
Regarding the announcement, Equity Executive Director Mary McColl said: “Today, we can announce that we have approved a safety plan for Diana. Now comes the hard part – taking a safety plan from the page and putting it into practice. The work to provide the safest workplace possible in this environment will require everyone to work together, from the employer to every employee.”
The play is directed by Christopher Ashley, and Diana is played by Jeanna de Waal while Prince Charles is portrayed by Roe Hartrampf.
Diana: A New Musical will be the first Broadway play to premiere on television before its opening night on the stage.
