Taylor Iman Jones and the Cast of The Devil Wears Prada
Gird your loins, because the iconic fashion drama of the 21st century, The Devil Wears Prada, is taking the stage. Adapted from the bestselling novel and major motion picture, The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical, is showing at Broadway in Chicago’s James Nederlander Theater from July 19 to August 21.
See Also: 5 Questions With Producer Kevin McCollum
From a lineup of Tony-studded creatives, including Chicago-based director Anna D. Shapiro, musical genius Elton John, and producer Kevin McCollum, comes The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical. The Broadway production’s stellar ensemble of cast and creatives brings Lauren Weisberger’s semi-autobiographical novel to life in style (literally).
Because the pandemic required the production to move at a glacial pace, the musical pushed its premiere date back to July of 2022 after originally planning on opening in July of 2020.
Broadway veteran and Tony award-winner Beth Leavel co-leads as Miranda Priestly, with Hamilton star Taylor Iman Jones co-leading as protagonist Andy Sachs and Javier Munoz as the tough but supportive colleague Nigel Owens. 
Javier Muñoz and the Cast of The Devil Wears Prada
16 years after the film’s release and 19 years after the release of the book, its story still resonates with audiences everywhere, fashion-minded or not. The narrative follows a young college graduate and aspiring journalist, Andrea Sachs, who proudly attempts to make her mark on the world and ends up working for Runway, a major fashion magazine, as the editor-in-chief’s personal assistant. It’s the job that “a million girls would kill for,” according to the Oscar-nominated feature film.
Andy’s journey made a name for the 2006 hit film as many things — a sartorial coming-of-age story, a highbrow dramedy, and a comical yet somber outlook on success, sacrifice, and everything in between.
The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical is updated for a modern audience, featuring new music, clothes, choreography, and jokes, but the heart of the story is no different. “Any great story is eternal in its essential question, right? It can live in these different iterations, and it's still applicable,” says director Shapiro.
The Devil Wears Prada has become an evocative part of popular culture, thanks to the movie’s dedication to all things fashion. The characters in the 2006 film were dressed in designer outfits and accessories that were emblematic of the time. The musical adaptation is no different, making the most of costuming to bring the same iconic atmosphere to the big stage. 
Director Anna D. Shapiro.
“Fashion is about relevance. Fashion at any moment is a window to the culture of that time. We made sure that the fashion was of the moment and wasn’t at all making fun of fashion,” says Shapiro.
While the sartorial aspects of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical are incredible, the character arcs are just as spectacular. Portrayed by seasoned actors, singers, and dancers, the well-known and dynamic characters of the story are fleshed out on an even larger and more lovable scale.
Starring as Andy Sachs, Jones “is really one of the most charismatic and extraordinary young performers I've ever seen in my life,” says Shapiro. The San Francisco Bay Area native, known for Hamilton and Groundhog Day, was chosen for the role of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical’s leading protagonist in 2019, the year that the show was originally announced.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Jones started out in school plays, later moving into community theaters after realizing that she had a passion for the performing arts. The performer eventually moved to New York, where she is currently based, to continue pursuing her career.
“A kid at school introduced me to musicals, and I’ve just never stopped doing them since. I went to community college for a few years, but it was really just so I could do the community and regional theaters around the Bay,” says Jones.
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Jones feels a strong connection to the character. “Andy is a young woman who is finding herself in the world. I think that no matter how you identify, that is something relatable. My favorite part about playing the role is getting to have that journey of self-love,” says the New York-based triple threat.
Shapiro has nothing but praise for the starring performer, saying that Jones makes her “forget that I’m supposed to be directing her… I get so enamored and pulled into the story. She’s a human being that we can all root for,” says the show’s director. “The audience is really going to identify with some of her challenges. I really want the audience to see the journey of this bright, ambitious young woman.”
Nigel Owens, another iconic character in The Devil Wears Prada, is brought to the musical stage by Javier Munoz. Known for playing the title role in Hamilton from 2016 to 2018 and starring in In the Heights, Munoz porytays Nigel, whom he describes as “this beating heart throughout the whole thing.” In the movie, Nigel is tough on Andy, always ready to quip back with a witty remark or pointed critique of her appearance, but he is one of the first and only colleagues at Runway to be a supportive friend to Andy.
In The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical, Nigel is still the fabulous character he always has been, but now, the audience gets the opportunity to see a more developed character arc for him.
“The writers and creators took a beautiful character and made him whole — a whole human being. When I read him on the page, I just understood him,” says Munoz.
Be the first to experience the fashion-forward magic of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical. Chicago marks the musical's hotly anticipated world premiere of the iconic movie-turned-musical.
“The bottom line is that it is not about not making fun of fashion. It is about validating its place in people's lives. The truth is, when you look at what fashion has done culturally, it can’t be ignored,” says Shapiro.
The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical will be at Broadway in Chicago’s James Nederlander Theater from July 19 to August 21.
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For more information about the cast of The Devil Wears Prada, The Musical, visit www.devilwearspradamusical.com and www.broadwayinchicago.com. Learn more about Broadway in Chicago here. Purchase tickets here.
Photography by: Avery Brunkus/ Broadway In Chicago. Anna D. Shapiro headshot by Frank Ishman
