The life and writings of poet Maya Angelou are being developed into a one-woman stage performance with hopes for Broadway and the support of her son Guy Johnson, according to producers behind the project.
Phenomenal Woman: An Evening With Maya Angelou is being developed and produced by David Michael Rich of Corstoria, LLC, and J. Todd Harris of Branded Pictures Entertainment. Rich was Angelou’s representative for more than 11 years; Harris’ stage productions include the 2014 Off Broadway musical Heathers and 2015’s Broadway production of Doctor Zhivago.
“My mother lived an extraordinary life,” Johnson said in a statement. “She brought a sense of passion to living and invested herself wholly in it. What she wanted most was justice for all human beings, and the freedom to experience joy and laughter. We hope to capture her joie de vivre. We’re going to include some private anecdotes that will be a revelation to audiences. I’m pleased to be working with this team in bringing her story to life and can’t wait for the public to experience it.”
According to the producers, Phenomenal Woman will be a one-woman show drawing from Angelou’s writings, along with “some private musings that have never before been made public.” The producers have secured exclusive theatrical rights for key works from Angelou’s estate and have signed Johnson to help develop the project.
The producers hope to get Phenomenal Woman: An Evening With Maya Angelou developed for a 2021 Broadway staging.
Angelou, author of the 1969 classic I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, received the National Medal of Arts in 2000 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. She died in 2014.
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