The Working Girl musical has announced its cast and creative team. The new musical by Tony and Grammy winner Cyndi Lauper and Theresa Rebeck is based on the 1988 film of the same name. Pop singer Joanna “JoJo” Levesque (whose previous stage credits include Moulin Rouge!) will play the eponymous working girl Tess. Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Spamalot) will play Tess' boss Katharine.

The musical will be directed by Tony winner Christopher Ashley (Come From Away) and choreographed by Sarah O’Gleby. It will run at La Jolla Playhouse in California October 28–November 30. 

The cast will also feature Ashley Blanchet (Frozen) as Cyn, Anoop Desai (What We Do in the Shadows) as Jack, and Joey Taranto (Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl) as Mick. In the ensemble will be Jacqueline Arnold, Jesse Bhamrah, Michael Genet, Bailey Lee, Amy Hillner Larsen, Ashley Levin, Nathan Madden, Alisa Melendez, Sydni Moon, Jennifer Perry, Julio Rey, Elliot Sagay and Ian Ward; and Swings: Patricia Jewel, Jaxon Smith, Gabi Stapula, and Sean Watkinson.

The show will also feature additional music and lyrics by Rob Hyman and Sammy James, Jr.; scenic design by AMP featuring Erica Jiaying Zhang; costume design by Linda Cho; lighting design by Amanda Zieve; sound design by Gareth Owen; projection design by Hana S. Kim; wig design by Charles G. LaPointe; music supervision by Stephen Oremus; associate music supervision by Brian Usifer; music direction by Julie McBride; orchestrations by Stephen Oremus, Brian Usifer, and Scott Wasserman; sensitivity specialist Ann C. James; casting by The Telsey Office, Rachel Hoffman, and Hannah Reinert; stage management by Victoria Navarro; and assistant stage management by Alexa Burn and Derric Nolte.

Directed for the screen by Mike Nichols, Working Girl premiered in 1988 and went on to receive the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The film follows an ambitious secretary from Staten Island who facilitates a large-scale merger in the absence of her boss—by posing as her.

Working Girl marks Lauper's first original musical to take the stage since her Tony-winning Kinky Boots. The musical has been in the works as far back as 2017. Smash creator Rebeck joined as the project's book writer in 2022, becoming the third announced writer on the project.

Working Girl marks Ashley’s final directorial project after 18 years as La Jolla Playhouse’s Rich Family Artistic Director; he will move to New York to lead Roundabout Theatre Company beginning January 2026. 

“For nearly two decades, La Jolla Playhouse has been my home, my family, and the cornerstone of my career—fulfilling my passions as both an artist and a member of this extraordinary creative community,” said Ashley in a statement. “I cannot think of a better show to wrap up my time here than Working Girl. This truly joyful new musical—based on the beloved ‘80s film, but very much in conversation with our current moment—perfectly encapsulates the Playhouse’s unwavering commitment to developing new works for the American Theatre.” 

Visit LajollaPlayhouse.org.