‘Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day’ Getting Broadway Makeover
The 2008 film “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is heading to Broadway.
According to Showbiz411.com, songwriting team Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison are currently working on songs for a stage version of the movie. The Tony Award-winning duo were responsible for “The Drowsy Chaperone.”
“Steel Magnolias” playwright Robert Harling is writing the book for the musical, and may serve as director, as well. The website reports that John Lyons, who recently has been making movies for Focus Features, is in charge of the new production.
The original film, also presented by Focus Features, starred Frances McDormand and Amy Adams, and is based on a 1938 novel of the same name by Winifred Watson. The film was a bust at the box office, making only $12 million. It was directed by Bharat Nalluri.
The film (and book is based on) is set in London just before World War II. The film centers around a middle-aged governess named Guinevere Pettigrew that has recently been fired from her job. Through a series of strange events, she accidentally finds herself as the social secretary to flamboyant American actress and singer Delysia Lafosse. Pettigrew was played in the original film by McDormand, with Adams performing the role of Lafosse.
The movie also starred Tom Payne, Mark Strong, Christina Cole, Lee Pace, Shirley Henderson, Stephanie Cole and Ciaran Hinds. The screenplay was written by David Magee and Simon Beaufoy. Magee recently adapted acclaimed novel “Life of Pi,” by Yann Martel, for the big screen, as well. That film will be released later this year. Beaufoy is best known from his writing work on “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won a Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also has worked on “The Full Monty,” “127 Hours,” “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” and “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”