TWTheatricals is developing a stage musical from Ann M. Martin's children's book series The Baby-Sitters Club. The project is being written by Kate Wetherhead (The Devil Wears Prada) with songs by Mark Sonnenblick (KPop Demon Hunters). Annie Tippe will direct and choreograph.
Industry presentations of the new work will be held in NYC November 13, with a theatrical premiere expected to follow in 2027.
The musical will take on an original story, following the club's founding members—Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey—as they return to the Connecticut hometown as 25-year-olds to honor a reunion pact. As they reminisce about their past, critical questions about identity, career, relationships, and fulfillment emerge.
“The Baby-Sitters Club series introduced the original girl bosses, shaping and inspiring the lives of millions of young women and girls then—and still today,” says TWTheatricals Producing Artistic Director Barbara Pasternack in a statement. “For adults who loved the books, it taps into a shared sense of nostalgia, inviting each of us to revisit the memories that shaped us while reflecting on how far we’ve come. For audiences of any age, it’s an inspiring story of friendship, empowerment, and finding your own voice, and a reminder that our stories are always evolving. And the score is amazing!”
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four decades since the first Baby-Sitters Club book, Kristy’s Great Idea, was published. And now a Baby-Sitters Club musical? What a great idea!," adds Martin. "I love musicals and am excited to see the adventures of Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey come to life on stage. I'm humbled by the ongoing popularity of the series, and couldn’t be more thrilled by this news.”
“We look forward to bringing The Baby-Sitters Club themes of friendship, growing pains, independence, and self-discovery to a live audience, so that both young people and adults can see for themselves (or their former selves) that they are not alone in the grand adventure of ‘growing up,’” says Wetherhead.
“Though their triumphs and struggles and crushes are evergreen, these are girls of the '80s and '90s,” says Sonnenblick. “So the score’s inspired by some of our favorites—Sheryl Crow, Indigo Girls, Shania Twain. We’re just very excited for everyone to hang out with the club in Stoneybrook, Connecticut, whether it’s your first time or your five hundredth.”
More information is at TWTheatricals.com.
