‘Hidden Figures’ Musical in Development
Disney is currently working on creating a stage musical based on Hidden Figures, according to a report by the New York Times.
Hidden Figures tells the inspiring story of three Black female mathematicians who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the so-called Space Race in the 1960s. The details of their story were revealed in the 2016 non-fiction book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race.
The book was also adapted into a 2016 of the same name starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae as the mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. The film had supporting performances by Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell and Mahershala Ali. It was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Disney Theatrical Productions has been working on the musical adaptation of the story since as early as 2018 with film critic Elvis Mitchell serving as creative consultant. No further details about the cast, creative team potential release date have been revealed so far.
The NYT report also mentions various productions that are focused on the experiences of Black Americans which are necessary to improve diversity on Broadway. Among these plays are the Putitzer-prize winning A Strange Loop and an adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd’s New York Times bestselling novel, The Secret Life of Bees.
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