Betsy Wolfe Will Star in a New Off-Broadway Musical About Joy Mangano

Joy: A New True Musical, based on the life of businesswoman and inventor Joy Mangano, will run at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre June 21-August 17, with an opening night set for July 20.

The new musical features a book by Tony-winning producer Ken Davenport (Once on This Island), music and lyrics by Grammy and Tony Award nominee AnnMarie Milazzo (Lucky Us), choreography by Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse (Smash), and direction by Lorin Latarro (Waitress). Tony Award nominee Betsy Wolfe (& Juliet) will star as Joy.

Update, February 25: The company will also include Jill Abramovitz as Joy’s mother, Toots, and Honor Blue Savage as Joy’s daughter, Christie. Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

Joy: A New True Musical is based on the true story of Joy Mangano, the inventor behind the Miracle Mop, also told in the 2015 film JOY starring Jennifer Lawrence.

The creative team for Joy: A New True Musical includes scenic designer Anna Louizos, costume designer Tina McCartney, sound designers Kai Harada and Haley Parcher, projection and video designer David Bengali, hair and wig designer Darion Matthews, music supervisor Andy Einhorn, and music director Jillian Zack.

Written and performed by Milazzo, a concept album inspired by the musical, The Shape of Things: Songs From Joy The Musical, was released on Joy Machine Records and produced by Sonny Paladino, with music supervision by Andy Einhorn. The digital album is available for streaming here.

Though it is being performed at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, Joy: A New True Musical is not a Roundabout Theatre Company production.