Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

*Summer: The Donna Summer Musical*
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
	2018 Broadway Playbill
Music	Various
Lyrics	Various
Book	Colman Domingo; Robert Cary; Des McAnuff;
Basis	The life of Donna Summer
Premiere	November 7, 2017: La Jolla Playhouse
Productions	2017 San Diego ; 2018 Broadway

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is a jukebox musical with book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff and music and lyrics Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, Paul Jabara, and others, based on the life of Summer.

The musical made its premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in November 2017 and opened on Broadway in April 2018.

Productions[]

The La Jolla Playhouse presented the musical in a limited engagement from November 7 until December 24, 2017.

The musical premiered on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 28, 2018 (previews), prior to an April 23, 2018 opening.^[1] The musical is directed by Des McAnuff, with scenic design by Robert Brill, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Howell Binkley, projections by Sean Nieuwenhuis, sound by Gareth Owen, and was produced by Tommy Mottola and Thalía.^[2]^[3]

The musical closed on Broadway on December 30, 2018 after 289 performances.

A tour in North America started September 29, 2019.^[4] The tour started at the RBTL Auditorium in Rochester, New York. The cast will feature Dan’yelle Williamson (Diva Donna), Alex Hairston (Disco Donna), and Olivia Elease Hardy (Duckling Donna).^[5]

Broadway Licensing acquired the rights for all future stock and amateur performances.^[6]

Overview[]

The musical highlights Donna Summer at three stages of her life. Duckling Donna is in her pre-teens, starting out in Boston; Disco Donna, in her late teens and 20s, has her initial success; Diva Donna is in her 50s and at the top of her career.

Musical numbers[]

The Queen Is Back- Diva Donna & Ensemble
I Feel Love- Diva Donna and Ensemble
Love to Love You Baby- Disco Donna & Female Ensemble
I Remember Yesterday- Duckling Donna & Sisters
On My Honor - Duckling Donna
Faster and Faster to Nowhere - Disco Donna & Ensemble
White Boys- Diva Donna, Disco Donna, and Ensemble
MacArthur Park- Diva Donna, Disco Donna, Duckling Donna, and Ensemble
Heaven Knows- Disco Donna and Bruce Sudano
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)- Diva Donna, Disco Donna, and Duckling Donna
Pandora's Box- Duckling Donna, Diva Donna and Ensemble
On the Radio- Disco Donna, Diva Donna

I Love You- Bruce Sudano, Disco Donna, Mimi Sudano
Bad Girls- Disco Donna and Female Ensemble
She Works Hard for the Money- Full Company
Dim All the Lights- Disco Donna, Joyce Bogart and Ensemble
I Believe in Jesus- Disco Donna and Ensemble
Unconditional Love- Diva Donna, Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda Sudano
To Turn the Stone- Disco Donna, Diva Donna
Stamp Your Feet- Diva Donna and Ensemble
Friends Unknown- Diva Donna
Hot Stuff- Disco Donna and Ensemble
Last Dance- Full Company

Cast[]

Character	La Jolla (2017)	Broadway (2018)	US Tour (2019)
Diva Donna / Mary Gaines	LaChanze		Dan'yelle Williamson
Disco Donna	Ariana DeBose		Alex Hairston
Duckling Donna / Mimi	Storm Lever		Olivia Elease Hardy
Giorgio Moroder	Mackenzie Bell	Kaleigh Cronin	Kyli Rae
Young Dara / Amanda	Kimberly Dodson		Cameron Anika Hill
Adult Mary Ellen	Anissa Felix		DeQuina Moore
Brian	Drew Foster		Jay Garcia^[a]
Ami / DJ	Ari Groover	N/A	N/A
Maid / Michael^[b]	Afra Hines		Brittany Nicole Williams/Candace J. Washington
Neil Bogart / Gunther/ Sommelier	Aaron Krohn		John Gardiner
^[c]	Jenny Laroche		Tamrin Goldberg
Mary Ellen / Brooklyn	Wonu Ogunfowora		De'Ja Simone
Bob	Rebecca Riker		Brooke Lacy
Adult Dara	Christina Acosta Robinson		Crystal Sha'nae
Andrew Gaines / Doctor	Ken Robinson		Erick Pinnick
Joyce Bogart	Jessica Rush		Trish Lindström
Pete Bellotte	Kaye Tuckerman		Jennifer Byrne
Bruce Sudano	Jared Zirilli		Steven Grant Douglas
Pastor	Jenny Laroche	Harris M. Turner	Sir Brock Warren
Helmuth Sommer	Drew Foster	Drew Foster	Jay Garcia
Don Engel	Kaye Tuckerman	Kaye Tuckerman	Jennifer Byrne
David Geffen	Mackenzie Bell	Mackenzie Bell	Brooke Lacy
Detective	Drew Foster	Mackenzie Bell	Brooke Lacy

Awards and nominations[]

Original Broadway production[]

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
2018	Drama League Awards^[7]	Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical		Nominated
		Distinguished Performance	Ariana DeBose	Nominated
		Distinguished Performance	LaChanze	Nominated
	Tony Awards^[8]	Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	LaChanze	Nominated
	Tony Awards^[8]	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical	Ariana DeBose	Nominated

Notes[]

^ Also played Helmuth
^ Role split in national tour
^ Role split for national tour

References[]

^ Chow, Andrew (December 19, 2017). "A Donna Summer Musical Heads to Broadway". New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
^ Hetrick, Adam. "Read Reviews for 'Summer: The Donna Summer' Musical on Broadway" Playbill, April 23, 2018
^ Thalía produce musical de Donna Summer
^ Hetrick, Adam. " 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical' to Close on Broadway" Playbill, November 28, 2018
^ Gans, Andrew. "Dan’yelle Williamson, Alex Hairston, and Olivia Elease Hardy Will Star in Tour of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"., Playbill, August 21, 2019
^ "Broadway Licensing". Broadway Licensing.
^ "Breaking: THE BAND'S VISIT, ANGELS IN AMERICA, MEAN GIRLS, FROZEN, And More Earn Drama League Nominations; See The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
^ "2018 Tony Award Nominations: SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls Lead the Pack". Playbill. May 1, 2018.

External links[]

Internet Broadway Database Listing

[7] Also played Helmuth

[abv-8] Role split in national tour

[9] Role split for national tour

[New_York_Times-1] Chow, Andrew (December 19, 2017). "A Donna Summer Musical Heads to Broadway". New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.

[2] Hetrick, Adam. "Read Reviews for 'Summer: The Donna Summer' Musical on Broadway" Playbill, April 23, 2018

[3] Thalía produce musical de Donna Summer

[4] Hetrick, Adam. " 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical' to Close on Broadway" Playbill, November 28, 2018

[5] Gans, Andrew. "Dan’yelle Williamson, Alex Hairston, and Olivia Elease Hardy Will Star in Tour of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical"., Playbill, August 21, 2019

[6] "Broadway Licensing". Broadway Licensing.

[10] "Breaking: THE BAND'S VISIT, ANGELS IN AMERICA, MEAN GIRLS, FROZEN, And More Earn Drama League Nominations; See The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.

[11] "2018 Tony Award Nominations: SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls Lead the Pack". Playbill. May 1, 2018.

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