The life and songs of 10-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan will be explored in a new West End-aimed musical entitled I’m Every Woman—The Chaka Khan Musical, which will receive a workshop in London next month with presentations November 10 at 11 AM and 2:30 PM at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
The cast will feature Karen Mavundukure (Dreamgirls) as Chaka Khan, Jordan Frazier (Hamilton) as Flashback Chaka Khan, Amarra Smith (Get Up, Stand Up) as Destiny, Alistair Toovey (Legally Blonde) as Dylan, Ashley Samuels (Hairspray) as Joel and Stevie Wonder, Anelisa Lamola (The Color Purple) as Nina, Hassun Sharif (Hamilton) as Flashback Richard Holland and Prince, Charlotte St. Croix (The Wizard of Oz) as Taka Boom, Gavin Keenan (Chicago) as Harry Myles, Duane-Lamonte O’Garro (Motown) as Hassan Khan and Grandmaster Melle Mel, Chris Breistein (The School of Rock) as Robert Palmer and Kevin Murphy, Jessica Niles (Six) as Whitney Houston, Chanice Alexander-Burnett (Les Miserables) as Angela Davis, Teddy Wills (Get Up, Stand Up) as Fred Hampton and Andre Fischer, Marvyn Charles (Everybody's Talking About Jamie) as Bobby Watson, Luke Friend (American Idiot) as Cocaine and Lee Graziano, Oliver Jacobson (The Book of Mormon) as Bob Martin, Andre Coulson (Five Guys Named Moe) as Don Cornelius and Tony Maiden, Connor Wilkins as Al Ciner, and Ellie Cooper as Joni Mitchell.
The ensemble will include Suki Wong, Wallis Pipe, Asmara Cammock, Lee Crowley, Jamie Bell, and Zion Battles.
Racky Plews (American Idiot, Summer Holiday) is attached to direct with screenwriter Tina Andrews (Sally Hemings: An American Scandal) writing the book. Musical director Ian Oakley (The Color Purple, The Lion King) provides orchestrations, vocal arrangements, and musical supervision with choreography by Del Mak, sound design by Chris Whybrow, and casting by Debbie O’Brien. Adrian Grant (Thriller Live!) produces.
I’m Every Woman will depict Khan's life from her time in the Black Panther party to lead singer of the band Rufus, subsequently becoming a Grammy-winning solo artist, who has sold over 100 million albums with hits such as "I Feel For You," "Ain’t Nobody," "This Is My Night," "Through The Fire," and "Eye to Eye." Her story will be explored utilizing the concept of a present-day musical within a musical about Chaka Khan.
Khan, who has endorsed the project, said in an earlier statement, “London has a very special place in my heart, and I’m honored that my life and music will be celebrated on a West End stage. Working with such a talented team, producer Adrian Grant, writer Tina Andrews, and director Racky Plews, on my life story is a dream come true.”
Producer Grant added, “I’m thrilled to be producing a theatrical stage musical about the life of Chaka Khan. She has been an icon across many genres and decades, but I grew up in the 80s, and songs such as ‘Ain’t Nobody’ and ‘I Feel For You’ created an everlasting cultural imprint that will form a part of this show, with electric choreography and vocals that blow the roof off!"
I’m Every Woman will play a pre-West End engagement in autumn 2024 with details to be announced.
There are a limited number of seats available to industry members by emailing [email protected]. Visit ImEveryWomanMusical.com.
