GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN to be Adapted Into a Stage Musical Featuring Hits From the 80s

From the producers of Clue On Stage and Mystic Pizza: The New Musical comes the musical stage adaptation of the beloved cult classic story, GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN.

Adapted from the screenplay by AMY SPIES (Beverly Hills, 90210) and featuring the title song written by Robert Hazard and made famous by Cyndi Lauper, this musical marks the first project in the previously-announced collaboration between theatre development company LIVELY MCCABE ENTERTAINMENT and music industry powerhouse PRIMARYWAVE MUSIC.

Check out the film's original trailer below!

Executive Producer Michael Barra and Associate Producer ALLISON BRESSI will oversee for Lively McCabe, alongside Primary Wave’s NATALIA NASTASKIN and Ramon Villa, working closely with Spies to bring her iconic story and characters to the stage.

M. DICKSON (How I Met Your Father, Disenchantment, Superstore) and Lauren Marcus (Writing: Jonathan Larson Grant Finalist, New York Stage and Film; Acting: Be More Chill, White Girl in Danger, Netflix's ...Tick, Tick...Boom!) have teamed up to co-write the musical’s book, with music and lyrics expected to be primarily sourced from Primary Wave’s expansive catalog of some of pop music’s most iconic and legendary hits. Jennifer Werner (The Book of Mormon, Supervising Associate Director Worldwide; Broadway Bounty Hunter; Director/Choreographer) has signed on to direct.

Spies’ screenplay, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, tells the story of high schooler Janey, a talented gymnast, who has always followed the orders of her strict Army colonel father and stayed out of the spotlight. However, when she moves to a new town and meets bold, supportive Lynne, she disobeys her father for the first time to enter a TV dance competition. The characters of Janey and Lynne were originally played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt in the 1985 film of the same name, which also featured Shannen Doherty, Jason Silverman, and Lee Montgomery.

“This is a dream project that our team been working on securing for quite some time, so we’re immensely grateful to Amy Spies for entrusting us with her iconic story and characters and for her collaboration on bringing them to the stage,” says Lively McCabe CEO Michael Barra. “And to be able to partner with this brilliant trio of creators as well as our friends at Primary Wave with their incredible catalog of 80s chart-toppers, is just icing on the cake.”

“Primary Wave just wants to have fun, and we could not be more excited for our iconic hits from the 80’s to provide the soundtrack for this beloved, classic story,” shareNastaskin and Villa. “We are grateful to Amy Spies for entrusting us and our amazing partners at Lively McCabe with her culturally important work and are thrilled to work with M., Lauren, Amy and Jennifer to bring this adaptation to life.”

Amy Spies adds, “I am excited that this great team is bringing to the stage my story of empowering female friendships and young women coming into their own.”

Follow along with the show on Instagram and TikTok.

LIVELY MCCABE ENTERTAINMENT

 is a theatrical development and acquisition company founded in 2017 by former Disney executive Michael Barra. The company is best known for its collection of theatrical properties including: CLUE (the most produced play in US Schools for 4 straight years) and its UK sibling CLUEDO, the musical adaptation of MYSTIC PIZZA, country music musical MAY WE ALL (developed with Florida Georgia Line), and Joe Iconis' PUNK ROCK GIRL!. For more information, please visit livelymccabe.com.

PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC 

is the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world. The company is home to some of the most iconic songwriters, artists, and record labels across the history of recorded music including Bob Marley, Prince, Stevie Nicks, James Brown, The Doors, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Smokey Robinson, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach, Bing Crosby, Luther Vandross, Olivia Newton-John, Steven Van Zandt, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, America, War, Teddy Pendergrass, Count Basie, Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan), Donny Hathaway, Joey Ramone, Bob Burns (Lynyrd Skynyrd), George Brown (Kool & The Gang), Sly & The Family Stone, Boston, Alice Cooper, Paul Anka, Boy George and Culture Club, Allee Willis, Paul Rodgers, Toots & The Maytals, Free, The Cranberries, Steve Cropper, Sarah McLachlan, Alice In Chains, Air Supply, JulianCasablancas (The Strokes), Huey Lewis and the News, PF Sloan, Glenn Gould, Gin Blossoms, Disturbed, George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam, Dennis DeYoung, Jeff Porcaro (TOTO), Chris Isaak, Sun Records, Times Music (subsidiary of the Times of India Group), and many more. The songs represented by Primary Wave include over 800 Top 10 singles, and over 400#1 hits. Throughout the company's 16-year existence, Primary Wave Music has embraced an entrepreneurial spirit, offering, and executing proactive one-of-a-kind ideas, unique services, and marketing campaigns for our artists. Primary Wave has earned a stellar reputation for being forward thinking and re- introducing classic artists and their music into the modern marketplace as well as nurturing young talent to become legends themselves. This success is based upon our team of seasoned and creative executives collaboratively working togetherclosely with our artists as partners. As a company, we strive for excellence in the pursuit of iconic artists and catalogs that not only reflect great artistry, but impact and influence culture.