Heidi Blickenstaff to Reprise Stage Turn in Freaky Friday TV Movie Musical; Cozi Zuehlsdorff to Co-Star

Broadway vet Heidi Blickenstaff (Something Rotten!) will reprise her performance as Katherine in the upcoming TV movie musical adaptation of Freaky Friday! Blickenstaff starred in the stage take on the film in its runs at Arlington, VA's Signature Theatre and San Diego, CA's La Jolla Playhouse. Joining Blickenstaff in the Disney Channel screen adaptation will be Cozi Zuehlsdorff (Dolphin Tale) as Ellie. The previously announced movie will air in 2018.

In Freaky Friday, Katherine (Blickenstaff), an overworked mother, and her teenage daughter, Ellie (Zuehlsdorff), magically swap bodies, and they have a single day to make it right before mom’s wedding day. The film will feature a teleplay by the stage musical's book writer, Bridget Carpenter, and a score by Next to Normal Tony winners Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who lent tunes to the stage show. Steve Carr is onboard to direct. In addition to Blickenstaff and Zuehlsdorff, the cast will include Ricky He, Alex Désert, Jason Maybaum, Kahyun Kim, Dara R. Moss, Jennifer LaPorte, Isaiah Lehtinen and Sarah Willey.

Based on the 1972 book with the same title, the stage musical was adapted from the 1976 and 2003 movies. The show released a cast album in February, which features Blickenstaff with her stage co-star Emma Hunton as Ellie.