Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

*Summer: The Donna Summer Musical*
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
	2018 Broadway Playbill
Music	Various
Lyrics	Various
Book	Colman Domingo; Robert Cary; Des McAnuff;
Basis	The life of Donna Summer
Premiere	November 7, 2017: La Jolla Playhouse
Productions	2017 La Jolla Playhouse ; 2018 Broadway ; 2019 First National Tour ; 2021 Second National Tour ; 2022 NCL 1.0

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is a jukebox musical with book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff and music and lyrics Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, Paul Jabara, and others, based on the life of Summer.

The musical made its premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in November 2017 and opened on Broadway in April 2018.

Productions

The La Jolla Playhouse presented the musical in a limited engagement from November 7 until December 24, 2017.

The musical premiered on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 28, 2018 (previews), prior to an April 23, 2018 opening.^[1] The musical is directed by Des McAnuff, with scenic design by Robert Brill, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Howell Binkley, projections by Sean Nieuwenhuis, sound by Gareth Owen, and was produced by Tommy Mottola and Thalía.^[2]^[3] The musical closed on Broadway on December 30, 2018 after 289 performances.

The First National tour opened September 29, 2019.^[4] The tour started at the RBTL Auditorium in Rochester, New York. The cast featured Dan’yelle Williamson (Diva Donna), Alex Hairston (Disco Donna), and Olivia Elease Hardy (Duckling Donna).^[5]

The Second National Tour opened November 15, 2021. Launching at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The cast featured Brittny Smith (Diva Donna), Charis Gullage (Disco Donna), and Amahri Edward-Jones (Duckling Donna).

In July 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line announced its at-sea tour of the musical aboard the all new Norwegian Prima, which premiered in August. The cast features Kimberley Locke (Diva Donna), Valerie Curlingford (Disco Donna), and D'Nasya Jordan (Duckling Donna).^[6]

Broadway Licensing acquired the rights for all future stock and amateur performances.^[7]

Overview

The musical highlights Donna Summer at three stages of her life. Duckling Donna is in her pre-teens, starting out in Boston; Disco Donna, in her late teens and 20s, has her initial success; Diva Donna is in her 50s and at the top of her career.

Musical numbers

The Queen Is Back – Diva Donna and Ensemble
I Feel Love – Diva Donna and Ensemble
Love to Love You Baby – Disco Donna and Female Ensemble
I Remember Yesterday – Duckling Donna and Sisters
On My Honor – Duckling Donna
Faster and Faster to Nowhere – Disco Donna and Ensemble
Munich: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / White Boys / Love to Love You Baby (Reprise) – Diva Donna, Disco Donna and Ensemble
MacArthur Park – Diva Donna, Disco Donna, Duckling Donna and Ensemble
Heaven Knows – Disco Donna and Bruce Sudano
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) – Diva Donna, Disco Donna and Duckling Donna
Pandora's Box – Duckling Donna, Diva Donna and Ensemble
On the Radio – Disco Donna and Diva Donna

I Love You – Bruce Sudano, Disco Donna and Mimi Sudano
Bad Girls – Disco Donna and Female Ensemble
She Works Hard for the Money – Full Company
Dim All the Lights – Disco Donna, Joyce Bogart and Ensemble
I Believe in Jesus – Disco Donna and Ensemble
Unconditional Love – Diva Donna, Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda Sudano
To Turn the Stone – Disco Donna and Diva Donna
Stamp Your Feet – Diva Donna and Ensemble
Friends Unknown – Diva Donna
Hot Stuff – Disco Donna and Ensemble
Last Dance – Diva Donna, Disco Donna, Duckling Donna and Full Company

Cast

Character	La Jolla (2017)	Broadway (2018)	First National Tour (2019-2020)	Second National Tour (2021-2022)	NCL 1.0 (2022-2023)
Diva Donna / Mary Gaines	LaChanze		Dan'yelle Williamson	Brittny Smith	Kimberley Locke
Disco Donna	Ariana DeBose		Alex Hairston	Charis Gullage	Valerie Curlingford
Duckling Donna / Mimi	Storm Lever		Olivia Elease Hardy	Amahri Edwards-Jones	D'Nasya Jordan
Giorgio Moroder	Mackenzie Bell	Kaleigh Cronin	Kyli Rae	Robert Ayla/Kyle Southern	Brooke Lacy
Young Dara / Amanda	Kimberly Dodson		Cameron Anika Hill	Ciara Jones	Ta'kaiyah Bailey
Adult Mary Ellen	Anissa Felix		DeQuina Moore	Mia Davidson	Candace Washington
Brian	Drew Foster		Jay Garcia^[a]	David Tanciar	Jonny Rouse
Maid / Michael^[b]	Afra Hines		Brittany Nicole Williams/Candace J. Washington	Diane Meck Lester/Sy Chounchaisit/Mind Pornsakulpaisal	Eloise Simpson
Neil Bogart	Aaron Krohn		John Gardiner	Chris Lewis	Dan Evans
Norm Brokaw^[c]	Jenny Laroche		Tamrin Goldberg	Francisco Risso	Tym Brown
Mary Ellen / Brooklyn	Wonu Ogunfowora		De'Ja Simone	Meridien Terrell/Candace Jones	Isabella Mason
Bob	Rebecca Riker		Brooke Lacy	Francisco Risso	N/A
Adult Dara	Christina Acosta Robinson		Crystal Sha'nae	Layla Tompkins/Ariel Etana Triunfo	Eve Parsons
Andrew Gaines	Ken Robinson		Erick Pinnick	Porter Lee Anderson	Tym Brown
Joyce Bogart	Jessica Rush		Trish Lindström	Aubrey Young	Reagan Muir
Pete Bellotte	Kaye Tuckerman		Jennifer Byrne	Emiliee Theno/Sara Shomgard	Molly Scott
Bruce Sudano	Jared Zirilli		Steven Grant Douglas	John Guragna	Tyler Burk
Pastor / Doctor	Jenny Laroche	Harris M. Turner	Sir Brock Warren	Lamont Whitaker	Anthony Garcia
Helmuth Sommer	Drew Foster		Jay Garcia	Francisco Risso	Jonny Rouse
Don Engel	Kaye Tuckerman		Jennifer Byrne	David Tanciar	Oliver Selwood
David Geffen	Mackenzie Bell		Brooke Lacy	Robert Ayla/Kyle Southern	James Vinson
Detective	Drew Foster	Mackenzie Bell	Brooke Lacy	Emiliee Theno/Sara Shomgard	James Vinson
Swings	Drew Foster, Aurelia Michael, Jody Reynard, Kim Steele		Jo'nathan Michael, Jennifer Wolfe, Mara Lucas	Stephen Vaught, Kayleigh Hegarty, Nissi Shalome	Nichole Ford, Michael Marrero

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Year	Award Ceremony	Category	Nominee	Result
2018	Drama League Awards^[8]	Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical		Nominated
		Distinguished Performance	Ariana DeBose	Nominated
		Distinguished Performance	LaChanze	Nominated
	Tony Awards^[9]	Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical	LaChanze	Nominated
	Tony Awards^[9]	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical	Ariana DeBose	Nominated

Notes

^ Also played Helmuth
^ Role split in national tour
^ Role split for national tour

References

^ Chow, Andrew (December 19, 2017). "A Donna Summer Musical Heads to Broadway". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
^ Hetrick, Adam (April 23, 2018). "Read Reviews for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway". Playbill.
^ "Thalía produce musical de Donna Summer". hoyestado.com (in Spanish). April 24, 2018.
^ Hetrick, Adam (November 28, 2018). "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical to Close on Broadway". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018.
^ Gans, Andrew (September 29, 2019). "Dan'yelle Williamson, Alex Hairston, and Olivia Elease Hardy Star in Tour of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical". Playbill. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (July 25, 2022). "AMERICAN IDOL's Kimberley Locke to Star in SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL for Norwegian Cruise Line". BroadwayWorld.com.
^ "Summer". Broadway Licensing.
^ Rosky, Nicole (April 18, 2018). "Breaking: THE BAND'S VISIT, ANGELS IN AMERICA, MEAN GIRLS, FROZEN, And More Earn Drama League Nominations; See The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
^ "2018 Tony Award Nominations: SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls Lead the Pack". Playbill. May 1, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2022.

External links

Internet Broadway Database Listing

[8] Also played Helmuth

[abv-9] Role split in national tour

[10] Role split for national tour

[New_York_Times-1] Chow, Andrew (December 19, 2017). "A Donna Summer Musical Heads to Broadway". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2018.

[2] Hetrick, Adam (April 23, 2018). "Read Reviews for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway". Playbill.

[3] "Thalía produce musical de Donna Summer". hoyestado.com (in Spanish). April 24, 2018.

[4] Hetrick, Adam (November 28, 2018). "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical to Close on Broadway". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018.

[5] Gans, Andrew (September 29, 2019). "Dan'yelle Williamson, Alex Hairston, and Olivia Elease Hardy Star in Tour of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical". Playbill. Retrieved March 24, 2022.

[6] Rabinowitz, Chloe (July 25, 2022). "AMERICAN IDOL's Kimberley Locke to Star in SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL for Norwegian Cruise Line". BroadwayWorld.com.

[7] "Summer". Broadway Licensing.

[11] Rosky, Nicole (April 18, 2018). "Breaking: THE BAND'S VISIT, ANGELS IN AMERICA, MEAN GIRLS, FROZEN, And More Earn Drama League Nominations; See The Full List!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 19, 2018.

[12] "2018 Tony Award Nominations: SpongeBob SquarePants and Mean Girls Lead the Pack". Playbill. May 1, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2022.

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