ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: THE BEACHES MUSICAL IS COMING TO CHICAGO

A musical production of Beaches, the beloved story of a pair of life-long girlfriends, is coming to the Chicago stage.

The show, which heads to Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre this summer, is based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Iris Rainer Dart. Shoshana Bean, who played Elphaba in Broadway’s Wicked after Idina Menzel left, will star as Cee Cee Bloom—the role Bette Midler played in the 1988 film version. Whitney Bashor will co-star as Bertie White (in the film version, the Chicago Tribune notes, Barbara Hershey’s character was re-named Hillary Whitney Essex). AsBillboard reports, the musical made its world premiere last year at Virginia’s Signature Theatre.

Dart and Thom Thomas wrote the play, while David Austin composed the music, and Dart wrote the lyrics. It will be directed by Eric Schaeffer. Previews begin on June 24, with the possibility of a Broadway run if the show is success.

Check it out at Entertainment Weekly: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/12/beaches-musical-comes-chicago