Eboni Booth, Whitney White and Mitski Are Working on The Queen's Gambit Musical

A musical adaptation of Walter Tevis’ novel The Queen’s Gambit, the book that was adapted into the acclaimed Netflix miniseries, is eyeing Broadway with a top-notch creative team attached. Music and lyrics will be by Academy Award-nominated alternative singer-songwriter Mitski with Eboni Booth (Primary Trust, Paris) writing the book. Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, On Sugarland) will direct.

The Queen's Gambit tells the story of Beth Harmon, a scrappy orphan from Kentucky who becomes a chess prodigy while battling her addictions.

On such albums as Be the Cowboy and Laurel Hell, Mitski has made a name for herself with her candid lyrics and catchily volatile rock. Her seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, was released in 2023. “I was a fan of the Netflix show and an even greater fan of the original novel,” she said in a statement. “So I was already determined to be a member of this team. And then I met Eboni and Whitney, and my determination grew tenfold! I absolutely had to be a part of this! I am ecstatic to get to work with all of these amazing creatives, who’ve each built beautiful and unique repertoires of their own.”

“The Queen's Gambit is a wholly original story about yearning for connection and finding your way in life, no matter the barriers,” said book writer Eboni Booth. “I couldn't be more thrilled to explore this world in the company of such extraordinary artists. Musicals are one of my first loves, and I feel so lucky to be tasked with the challenge of bringing Beth Harmon's haunting and inspiring journey to the stage.”

Director Whitney White says, “Everyone has desires, hopes, aspirations, and ideas about who they are and what they can offer the world. The Queen’s Gambit takes us into a story of a brilliant young woman on the hunt for all these things. It is a story that feels like mine and I’m excited to be a part of this exceptional team creating it anew for the stage.”

Details about the musical’s world-premiere production will be announced at a later date.