Lynn Nottage and John Legend Are Developing IMITATION OF LIFE Musical, Directed by Liesl Tommy

Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), Universal Pictures’ live theater division, today announced development of the musical IMITATION OF LIFE, based on the novel by Fannie Hurst and the Universal Pictures films, with book by Lynn Nottage, music and lyrics by John Legend, and directed by Liesl Tommy. A private industry reading took place April 24 – 28, 2023 in New York City. Imitation of Life will be produced for the stage by Universal Theatrical Group and Get Lifed Film Co. Wagner Johnson Productions serves as General Manager.

The novel Imitation of Life by Fannie Hurst was originally published in 1933. Universal Pictures produced two film adaptations based on the book: in 1934 directed by John Stahl, starring Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers; and in 1959 directed by Douglas Sirk, starring Lana Turner and Juanita Moore. The 1934 film is included in the U.S. National Film Registry of The Library of Congress for its “cultural, historical and aesthetic significance.” It was nominated for the 1934 Academy Award for Best Picture. The 1959 film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Actress, Juanita Moore and Best Supporting Actress, Susan Kohner).

Imitation of Life confronts the complexities and contradictions of racial identity, economic exploitation, and the limits of the American dream. The story centers on Delilah Johnston, a black mother in 1920s Atlantic City, and her daughter Peola who “passes” as white. Delilah must navigate her friendship and business partnership with Bea Pullman while trying to hold on to Peola, who is determined to build a bold and dangerous new life.

“When I met with Universal Theatrical Group to talk about a possible collaboration, the only title I wanted to discuss was Imitation of Life. I’d long been a fan of the book and I knew there was a passionate, contemporary, and newly relevant adaptation of this story uniquely suited to musical theater. To my mind the only collaborators for this beautifully complex, wholly American story are Lynn Nottage and John Legend; thankfully, they agreed to join me immediately in bringing their creativity and immense talents to this re-telling. We are thrilled to partner with UTG as we turn a whole new lens on Imitation of Life, using this great American art form to illuminate and uplift Black life,” notes director Liesl Tommy.

Lynn Nottage is the first and only woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice (Ruined, 2009; Sweat, 2017). She received a 2022 Tony Award nomination for her book of the hit musical MJ. John Legend is an EGOT winner and international recording artist. His Tony Award win was as producer of the 2017 Broadway revival of August Wilson’s Jitney. Liesl Tommy recently directed the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect starring Jennifer Hudson. She received a 2016 Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of Play for Eclipsed starring Lupita Nyong’o.

Bios:

Lynn Nottage (Book) is a playwright and a screenwriter, and the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Recent work includes the book for MJ the Musical (Broadway), the libretto for the Intimate Apparel Opera (LCT), and Clyde’s (Broadway, 2ST, Goodman Theater), and co-curating the performance installation The Watering Hole (Signature Theater). Past work includes Sweat, Ruined, the book for The Secret Life of Bees; Mlima's Tale; By the Way, Meet Vera Stark; Intimate Apparel; Fabulation, or the Re- Education of Undine;Crumbs from the Table of Joy;Las Meninas;Mud, River, Stone;Por’knockers; and POOF!. She has also developed This is Reading, a performance installation in Reading, Pennsylvania. Ms. Nottage is the recipient of a MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship (among other awards), is a Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts, is a member of the Theater Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

John Legend (Music & Lyrics). Multiplatinum artist and activist John Legend made history as the first African American man to join the prestigious EGOT club. The 12-time Grammy Award-winner released his eighth studio album, LEGEND, in September 2022, and will return as a judge on season 24 of the Emmy- nominated show, “The Voice,” this fall. Legend is the founder of Loved01, a skin-care line for melanin-rich skin. Legend, alongside award-winning producers Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius, is a principal in Get Lifted Film Co., a Los Angeles-based production company dedicated to bringing elevated multi-cultural content across film, television, theater, and books to global audiences. As an activist, Legend initiated the #FREEAMERICA campaign in 2015 and most recently founded the initiative HUMANLEVEL, which is igniting systematic change and building racial equity across American cities and communities.

Liesl Tommy (Director) is a groundbreaking, multi-award-winning director, and producer of theater, television, and film. She is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Direction of a Play, which she earned for Eclipsed by Danai Gurira, starring Lupita Nyong’o. Liesl has directed over 50 stage productions throughout the world, including the world premiere of the John Kander and Greg Pierce musical Kid Victory, the first stage adaptation of Frozen as a multimedia extravaganza for Disneyland, and her box-office juggernaut production of Les Misérables for Dallas Theater Centre. For the later two she made the groundbreaking choice to shift the casting to center people of color, laying the foundation for future productions. Liesl made her feature directorial debut with the acclaimed film Respect, based on the life of Aretha Franklin. The film starred Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul alongside Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, and Mary J. Blige, and was released world-wide by MGM summer 2021. Tommy has also enjoyed a successful career directing episodes of television including “Queen Sugar,” “Insecure,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Mrs. Fletcher.” Liesl’s childhood in Apartheid-era South Africa has deeply influenced her passion for stories about people fiercely pursuing personal and cultural freedom, propelling her to launch her production company Crocodile Eyes with co-producer Jennifer Mudge in 2020. Based in NYC, film projects in development include a series of high-concept genre features, one with Oscar- winning writer Alex Dinelaris’ Lexicon NY and Andrea Ciannavei, the other Tommy’s original Feminist Horror film trilogy; as well as a legacy title live-action feature with Disney+. TV projects in motion include collaborations with two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Notage and Tony Gerber, Emmy nominee Tanya Barfield, as well as Sister Pictures and Paramount+. On Crocodile Eyes’ theatre slate is a musical revival with Wagner Johnson Productions and the Gorilla Project with London-based producer Ryan Hugh Mackey and 2023 Olivier winner Mervyn Millar.

Universal Theatrical Group (UTG) is the live theater division of the world-famous motion picture studio. UTG, which oversees both Universal Stage Productions and DreamWorks Theatricals, is currently represented by the record-breaking musical phenomenon Wicked, currently in its 19th smash-hit year on Broadway. Wicked has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most successful theatrical ventures of all time. In 2008, Universal's musical adaptation of Billy Elliot opened on Broadway and went on to win ten Tony Awards including Best Musical. Universal also produced the Tony- nominated Broadway production of Bring It On: The Musical, Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn with Roundabout Theatre Company, and is currently developing Death Becomes Her, based on the 1992 film starring Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. DreamWorks Theatricals, which became part of UTG in 2016, was formed to develop live entertainment inspired by the studio's acclaimed library of animated films, including the Tony- winning musical adaptation of Shrek, and the West End production of The Prince of Egypt.

GET LIFTED FILM CO. is led by Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning producer Mike Jackson, EGOT recipient and award-winning producer John Legend, and Emmy® Award-winner and CEO of the management, media and social impact company Friends At Work, Ty Stiklorius. Their upcoming projects include Phantom, a reimagination of Phantom of the Opera and Misha Green’s feature film, B-Sides. Get Lifted’s latest projects include the documentaries 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed and Loudmouth, the animated feature Arthur, the film The War & Treaty, hip-hop competition series “Rhythm & Flow,” and theater project Imitation of Life. Notably, Get Lifted produced Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story, the HBO docu-series “Atlanta’s Missing And Murdered: The Lost Children,” the documentaries 40 Years A Prisoner and Giving Voice and the WGN series “Underground,” “Sherman’s Showcase” on IFC and AMC, ABC’s “John Legend and Family: A Bigger Love Father's Day,” the Oscar®-winning musical La La Land, NBC’s Emmy®-winning “Jesus Christ Superstar Live,” and the Tony® Award-winning play Jitney. Get Lifted partnered with Zando to form Get Lifted Books, which builds upon their mission of spotlighting stories from dynamic creatives. Get Lifted and Erik Feig’s PICTURESTART formed Picture LIFT, a joint venture focused on developing, producing, and financing multiple films in the $10M range, featuring diverse filmmakers and inclusive casts. Get Lifted and Universal Studio Group’s UCP inked a first-look deal for unscripted series and an exclusive multi-year overall deal for scripted content. Additionally, Get Lifted renewed their first look feature documentary deal with HBO.