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Girls Just Want to Have Fun Stage Musical Sets World Premiere
The jukebox musical will bow at Pittsburgh Playhouse this fall, a co-production with Point Park University.
April 02, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block
A new jukebox stage musical version of the 1985 film Girls Just Want to Have Fun will make a world premiere bow at Pittsburgh Playhouse November 11-22. Lively McCabe Entertainment, who has been developing the work, will co-produce with Primary Wave Music and Point Park University.
The partnership will bring students from Point Park's Conservatory of Performing Arts into the rehearsal room, with a semester-long pre-production process, culminating in a full workshop presentation this spring. Jennifer Werner (The Book of Mormon) is directing and choreographing.
The musical, which will feature a score of '80s hits, is being writtten by M Dickson (How I Met Your Father) and Lauren Marcus. The story, originally written for the screen by Amy Spies, follows two teenage girls who go against their family to enter a televised dance competition. Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt starred in the original film. Georgia Stitt is arranging and orchestrating the score, which will feature songs made famous by Whitney Houston, Huey Lewis and the News, Olivia Newton-John, and Culture Club, along with "Dancing In Heaven" and "I Can Fly" from the film's soundtrack.
Following the world premiere, the musical is expected to join the licensing catalogue of Music Theatre International as part of Lively McCabe's "Hits" Musicals collection, a series of jukebox musicals that uses songs from the Primary Wave catalogue of holdings.
“Bringing this iconic film from screen to stage is a thrilling and challenging puzzle, especially since sustainable paths for developing new work of this size and scope are so limited," says Lively McCabe President Allison Bressi in a statement. "In this musical, dance is the main character, something that cannot be created while sitting behind music stands. We knew immediately: our process had to change.
“From our first meeting with Kiesha Lalama and her team at PPU, it was clear that Girls Just Want To Have Fun had finally found the right first home. They love the film—but more importantly, they’re deeply committed to expanding the student experience beyond the classroom. That openness—to new ideas, new processes, and true collaboration—is what makes developing new musicals possible right now. PPU didn’t just say yes; they leaned in. I’m excited for what we are building together—and I hope this is just the start.”
“This is a transformative experience for our students, one that places them inside the professional process from day one,” adds PPU School of Theatre, Film, and Animation Interim Dean Kiesha Lalama. “They are not simply observing; they are actively contributing as performers, technicians, designers, and collaborators. Opportunities like this demystify how new work is created and prepares our students to enter the industry with real-world experience and confidence.”
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