Odds & Ends: Freaky Friday Musical to Release Album, Temptations Musical in Development & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today.

Freaky Friday Musical to Release Album
Curious about Disney’s Freaky Friday stage adaptation, but didn’t manage to get to Virginia to check out the show’s recent world premiere engagement at the Signature Theatre? Well, never fear, a studio recording of the new musical, based on the beloved novel by Mary Rodgers and two hit Disney films, will be recorded later this year and released by Walt Disney Records in early 2017. Broadway favorites Heidi Blickenstaff and Emma Hunton will reprise their performances on the album; additional casting is set to be announced later. Directed by Christopher Ashley, choreographed by Sergio Trujillo and featuring a book by Bridget Carpenter and a score by the Tony-winning team of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the classic tale follows an overworked mother and her teenage daughter, who magically swap bodies and have just one day to put things right again before mom’s big wedding. The musical was developed specifically for licensing, so you could also be seeing it first at a professional and then at an amateur theater near you soon!

Temptations Musical in Development
Get ready, a Temptations musical is in the works! The Motown success story, whose members included Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams, dominated the charts in the 1960s and 1970s with hits such as “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” Helmed by Tony winner Des McAnuff with choreography by his Jersey Boys colleague Sergio Trujillo, the new musical is currently known as The Detroit Project, and according to an equity casting notice the show will have an industry-only workshop February 6, 2017 through March 16. We will keep you posted about the Berkeley Repertory Theatre production!

Aaron Tveit's Better Off Single Sets DVD Release Date
Attention, Tveitor Tots. Better Off Single, which stars your Broadway boyfriend Aaron Tveit alongside Annaleigh Ashford and more, will be released on December 6 on DVD and Blu-ray. The film follows Charlie Carroll (Tveit), who quits his job and his girlfriend on the same day. It initially seems as though he’s finally found freedom, but after a quick dip in the dark waters of the NYC dating pool, Charlie begins to wonder if he’s made a mistake…

First Look at Emily Skeggs & More in When We Rise
Check out below Tony nominee Emily Skeggs (Fun Home), along with Tony winners Mary Louise Parker (Heisenberg), David Hyde Pierce, Rosie O’Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg in the first look at When We Rise. Starting with the Stonewall riots in 1969, the eight-hours series from Dustin Lance Black and Gus Van Sant chronicles the history of the gay rights movement and will premiere on ABC in February 2017.


P.S. Here's the latest promo for Hairspray Live!. December 7 can't come soon enough!