Trading Places, a new musical based on the 1983 Paramount Pictures film starring Eddie Murphy, will be the final production of the Alliance Theatre's 2021–2022 season.
Directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon (A Soldier's Play, A Raisin in the Sun), the world premiere will play the Coca-Cola Stage May 25–June 26, 2022. Leon is the former artistic director of the Alliance Theatre.
READ: Alliance Theatre's 2021-2022 Season Opens With the World Premiere of Darlin' Cory
Based on the movie by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod, the new musical features a book by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant and music and lyrics by First Date's Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Fatima Robinson choreographs with associate direction by Tinashe Kajese-Bolden.
The musical re-imagining of the prince and pauper fable concerns Billie Rae Valentine, a savvy hustler down on her luck, and Louis Winthorpe III, a minted commodities-trading firm director, who have their lives deliberately switched by the devious Duke brothers to settle a petty bet.
“I am so excited to come home with this world class creative team and a new musical that I know will resonate and be embraced by the Atlanta community,” said Leon. “With Trading Places we’re exploring the idea of what would happen if we all traded places with someone else, even for a day, literally putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. It’s relevant; it’s uplifting; everyone will feel heard and represented. And you’re going to laugh, a lot! It’s the perfect play for right now.”
Casting and additional creative team information will be announced in early 2022.
Trading Places is produced by special arrangement with Marc Madnick and Michael Cassel Group.
