Production is officially underway for Obsessed, a new, Broadway-bound Diane Warren bio-musical: Producers announced today that licensing deals are set for songs that will be featured in the score, including the Taylor Swift hit “Say Don’t Go.”
A successful developmental workshop was held in New York City last year, directed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall with a book by two-time Tony winner Joe DiPietro. Michael Cohl and Irit TenHengel, who announced the licensing deals today, formed a partnership to produce the musical on Broadway.
A full production schedule, casting and additional creative team will be announced soon.
In addition to her collaboration with Swift, Warren has written hits for Beyonce, Cher, Aerosmith, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga and more. A list of songs to be included in the musical was not released.
From the synopsis: “Diane, who was diagnosed early on with Asperger’s Syndrome, grew up in suburban Los Angeles in the 1970s with a strict Jewish mother who expected her daughter to conform to a life of traditional values, marrying and raising a family. But Diane was a rebel with a passion for songwriting that led to unimaginable creative success.
“By the age of 14 songwriting had taken over Diane’s life. She was often writing three songs a day. Her breakthrough hit, ‘Rhythm of the Night,’ became a worldwide smash. Diane Warren became the first songwriter in history to have seven hits on the Billboard charts, at the same time, all by different artists.”
In a statement, producer TenHengel said, “The show has to be called Obsessed and that idea came to me from music business legend, Clive Davis….Clive repeatedly referred to Diane as being obsessive. She’s obsessed with writing. She’s obsessed with her songs. She’s obsessed with winning an Oscar. When I heard this, I realized that Obsessed was the only possible title for a Broadway show about Diane Warren.”
The Executive Producer for the musical is Glenn Orsher, CEO of EMC Presents who runs the theater department of Cohl’s companies.
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Greg Evans
