New Musical OBSESSED, THE STORY OF DIANE WARREN...SO FAR in Development, Directed by Kathleen Marshall

OBSESSED, The Story of Diane Warren...so far, a new musical based on the incredible life of one of the most famous and successful songwriters of all time, is in development.

OBSESSED is a rollicking rock 'n' roll musical of passion, obsession, and determination. The story of an extraordinary "bad-ass" woman - a genius who wrote and composed the soundtrack of our lives.

OBSESSED includes Diane Warren's biggest hits and features an acclaimed creative team brought together by Ms. Warren including two-time Tony Award-winning book writer Joe DiPietro and three-time Tony Award-winning director Kathleen Marshall and producer Irit TenHengel.

A private presentation of OBSESSED will take place in New York this month.

The musical includes Diane's hit songs: "Rhythm of the Night," "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," "If I Could Turn Back Time," "Unbreak My Heart," "Because You Loved Me," "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing." The show will also include several new songs written by Ms. Warren.

OBSESSED brings Diane Warren's remarkable and almost unbelievable story to the musical theater stage and boldly asks: "How could the woman who wrote some of the world's most famous love songs have never been in love?"

Growing up in suburban Los Angeles in the 1970s, Diane was a young rebel, obsessed with songwriting from an early age, and against all odds climbed the ladder of the music industry to the highest peak imaginable. By the age of 14 writing songs took over Diane's existence and she was writing three songs a day. Her breakthrough came at the age of 26 when she wrote the worldwide smash hit "Rhythm of the Night."

Diane's career skyrocketed in the 1980s, and her record sales and hits surpassed her male contemporaries. She has written hits for the biggest artists in the world including Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Aerosmith, Cher, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and many more.

Diane Warren is one of modern music's most celebrated songwriters. She has penned nine #1 and thirty-two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and is tied for having written the most #1 songs as a sole writer in Billboard history. Her songs have been featured in more than 100 motion pictures.

After winning Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe awards, being nominated for 13 Oscars, being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Diane Warren just received an Honorary Oscar and is the first songwriter to have been given that honor. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Her Now" from bringing her music and story to Broadway!

"Broadway is a new chapter for me and to work with such amazing artists like Kathleen Marshall and Joe DiPietro makes me excited to see where this will lead!" - Diane Warren

Biographies:

Diane Warren

is one of modern music's most celebrated songwriters. She has penned nine #1 & thirty-two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, is tied for having written the most #1 songs as a sole writer in Billboard history and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. She has received 13 Academy Award nominations, is a Grammy Award winner with 15 nominations, Emmy Award winner and two-time Golden Globe Award winner whose songs have been featured in more than 100 motion pictures. She is also the sole owner of her publishing company Realsongs, the most successful female-owned and operated business in the music industry. She is the recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In summer 2021, Warren released her debut album Diane Warren: The Cave Sessions Vol. 1 (Di-Namic/BMG), which included featured guest performances such as Jon Batiste, Carlos Santana, Rita Ora, Maren Morris, John Legend, and Jimmie Allen to name a few. She most recently wrote the original song "Applause" performed by Sofia Carson for the feature film, Tell It Like a Woman. Diane Warren was selected to receive an Honorary Oscar which was presented at the Academy's 13th Governors Awards in November 2022.

Joe DiPietro

(Book) has won two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. His musicals and plays have received thousands of productions across the country and around the world. He is currently writing the book for the new musical Sinatra and his acclaimed new show, What's New Pussycat? will open on The West End next season. His other shows include Memphis (2010 Tony Award for Best Musical); Diana (which can be seen on Netflix), Nice Work If You Can Get It (10 Tony nominations); The Toxic Avenger (Outer Critics Circle Award - Best off-Broadway Musical); I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (longest-running musical revue in off-Broadway history); as well as the much-produced comedies Clever Little Lies and Over the River and Through the Woods, among others.

Kathleen Marshall

(Director). A nine-time Tony Award nominee, she has won the award three times for Best Choreography for the Broadway revivals of Wonderful Town, The Pajama Game and Anything Goes. She has worked on more than twenty Broadway shows and she is the first woman who has directed a play, directed a musical and choreographed a musical on Broadway. Off-Broadway and regional credits include the New York Shakespeare Festival, Second Stage, Transport Group, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Long Wharf, Paper Mill, Hollywood Bowl, Boston Pops, Signature Theatre and St. Louis MUNY. Kathleen served as the Artistic Director for City Center Encores! for four seasons, during which time Encores! received a special Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre. Her film and television credits include My Week with Marilyn (choreographer), "Once Upon a Mattress," "The Music Man" (choreographer) and "2 Broke Girls." She has received three Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, an Olivier Award, an Emmy nomination, the Astaire Award, the George Abbott Award, the Smith College Medal (her alma mater), the Pennsylvania Governor's Award for the Arts and she has been named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania.

Irit TenHengel

(Producer) Veteran manager and producer Irit TenHengel has been in the music business for 30 years, working with some of the top artists, songwriters and record producers. TenHengel has dedicated a great part of her career in the entertainment business to making the world a better place through music and her work as a manager of talent, a music producer and putting together unique and very special musical events. As the founder of her own record Label, 20 years ago, YODAN, Irit owns hundreds of master recordings and publishing rights. Growing up in the Middle East she developed a passion for producing humanitarian and peace concerts using the stage, music, and her personal connections with influential people from all walks of life, she has produced many international events including for children's and woman's rights in the Arab world. Irit's humanitarian work does not stop with her passion for music, but she also has a strong passion for animals. Eight years ago, she fulfilled her dream and built a dog rescue farm in Israel, rescuing and rehabilitating hundreds of dogs every year. She shares this passion with Diane Warren who also built an animal rescue farm in Los Angeles. Irit relishes the opportunity to bring Diane Warren's fascinating and inspiring life story and music to Broadway.

Donna Munday

(Executive Producer) is a freelance Executive Producer, having worked as a senior executive in subsidized and commercial theatre for 30 years. She works with many major producing companies - current and recent clients include: Trafalgar Entertainment, RSC, The Young Vic Theatre, Playful Productions, Working Title Films, Elliott & Harper Productions, Bristol Old Vic and Birmingham Rep. Donna has executive/line produced or managed over 200 productions. She is currently Executive Producer for What's New Pussycat?, a brand new musical featuring the iconic songs of Tom Jones, which premiered in 2021. Other recent West End credits include Death of a Salesman directed by Marianne Elliott and The Grinning Man directed by Tom Morris. Until 2016 Donna was Executive Producer for Sonia Friedman Productions where she worked on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Dreamgirls, Funny Girl with Sheridan Smith, Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch and Bend It Like Beckham. From 2009-2014 Donna was Director of Theatre Production then Executive Producer on Billy Elliot the Musical at Working Title Films; previous roles include Executive Director at Nimax Theatres, Chief Executive of Royal & Derngate Theatres Northampton and Sheffield Theatres, General Manager at Really Useful Theatres, and Finance Director of the Royal Court Theatre. Donna is Chair of the Board of Headlong Theatre, and a Trustee of Hall for Cornwall.