Laura Bell Bundy Will Lead Industry Presentations of New Musical JOY This Week

BroadwayWorld has learned that the new musical "Joy" will have two industry presentations this week, led by Laura Bell Bundy. They will be held on Thursday, November 11, and Friday, November 12.

The musical is based on the 2015 film of the same name, starring Jennifer Lawrence. Bundy will play entrepreneur Joy Mangano, who Lawrence played in the film. The rest of the cast for the presentations includes Mauricio Martínez, Annie Golden, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Michael McCormick and Sami Bray.

Joy the Musical is directed by Sammi Cannold, and features a score by AnnMarie Milazzo and a book by Ken Davenport. Musical supervision is by Andy Einhorn, with musical direction by Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh.

The musical is set to make its world premiere at a regional theater in the fall of 2022.

Laura Bell Bundy has originated two legendary roles for the Broadway stage--Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical (Tony Award Nomination) and Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, and he other roles include Glinda in Wicked. In addition to her stage work, Bundy has acted in 100 episodes of television, including in How I Met Your Mother, Perfect Harmony, and more.

Joy is the story of a family across four generations, centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Facing betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, Joy becomes a true boss of family and enterprise. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy's inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces.

Joy received a theatrical release on December 25, 2015, distributed by 20th Century Fox. Lawrence received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her performance. Joy was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.