ON WORLD AIDS DAY, SUNDAY 01 DECEMBER
A SPECIAL GALA PERFORMANCE OF
WAS PRESENTED
IN SUPPORT OF THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION (EJAF) RAISING MORE THAN £750,000 TO END THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
On Sunday 01 December 2024, a special gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada, a new musical, was presented on World AIDS Day, at the Dominion Theatre, in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
A host of special guests attended the performance, followed by the after party at the British Museum, including; Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace, Lily Collins, Edward Enninful, Bob Geldof, Graham Norton, Zandra Rhodes, Amelia Dimoldenberg, Elizabeth Hurley and many more!
The special gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada has raised more than £750,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. This will support their work towards ending the AIDS epidemic in the UK and globally.
Elton John said “It’s a real honour to have so many friends from the worlds of music, fashion and entertainment join us for the special gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada at a World AIDS Day event in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. It’s a joy for me to see this musical on stage, celebrate it with the team and share it with the world on such an important day in recognition of those we’ve lost and what we have left to do to end AIDS. We need the world to understand that HIV is not yesterday’s story, it should be a priority today. Every minute a life is still lost to this terrible disease because people are too afraid or seen as undeserving of treatment. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By truly accepting each other for who we are, we can be the generation to end AIDS.”
Donatella Versace said “As Co-Chair of The Rocket Fund for The Elton John AIDS Foundation, I am truly honoured to be here tonight to support my friends Elton and David in the incredible work that they do. We must all join in the mission to end AIDS. What better way to support the foundation and see this iconic story brought to life with Elton’s incredible music. That’s all!”
Special thank you to our platinum sponsors Pamella Roland, Bill and Tani Austin/ Starkey Foundation and Olena Pinchuk and our gold sponsor The Caring Family Foundation for making this evening possible.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation was established in 1992 and is one of the leading independent AIDS organizations in the world. The Foundation’s mission is simple: an end to the AIDS epidemic. The Elton John AIDS Foundation is committed to overcoming the stigma, discrimination and neglect that keep us from ending AIDS. With the mobilization of our network of generous supporters and partners, we fund local experts across four continents to challenge discrimination, prevent infections, and provide treatment as well as influencing governments to end AIDS. www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.org
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – A NEW MUSICAL
The Devil Wears Prada, a new musical,opens this week after previewing from 24 October at the Dominion Theatre.
Starring in the production is Vanessa Williams, best known for her celebrated roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives and as a multi-award-winning singer, asthe irrepressible Miranda Priestly, alongside Olivier Award winner, Matt Henry,as Runway’s Creative Fashion Director, Nigel.
They are joined by Georgie Buckland (Shrek The Musical; Bedknobs and Broomsticks) making her West End debut playing the driven Andy, Amy Di Bartolomeo (SIX; We Will Rock You) as the icy First Assistant to Miranda, Emily, James Darch (Mamma Mia!; Wicked) as the devious journalist, Christian, and Rhys Whitfield (The Phantom of the Opera; Summer and Smoke) as Andy’s long-term boyfriend, Nate.
Completing the cast are: Maddy Ambus, Gabby Antrobus, Selena Barron, Pamela Blair, Robertina Bonano, Josh Damer-Jennings, Lloyd Davies, Elishia Edwards, Akeem Ellis-Hyman, Elizabeth Fullalove, Jinny Gould, Natasha Heyward, Samuel How, Luke Jackson, Debbie Kurup, Liam Marcellino, Ciro Lourencio Meulens, Theo Papoui, Christopher Parkinson, Eleanor Peach, Ethan Le Phong, Jon Reynolds, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Olivia Saunders, Kayleigh Thadani, Ella Valentine, Rhys Whitfield and Tara Yasmin.
The Devil Wears Prada, features an all-star, award-winning creative team led by
Elton John (Tammy Faye, Billy Elliot: The Musical, The Lion King), new direction & choreography by Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman, Hairspray), lyrics by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub (Suffs) and Mark Sonnenblick (Theatre Camp), book by Kate Wetherhead (Ever After, Submissions Only), set design by Tim Hatley (Life of Pi, Back to the Future), costume design by Gregg Barnes (Some Like It Hot, Legally Blonde), lighting design by Bruno Poet (The Tina Turner Musical, Frankenstein), sound design by Gareth Owen (Come From Away, & Juliet) and casting by Jill Green CDG.
The production played an exclusive preview engagement from 06 July – 17 August at Theatre Royal Plymouth prior to opening in the West End.
Hilariously fun and fabulously stylish, The Devil Wears Prada tells an inspiring story about discovering what kind of person you truly want to be. Choose your outfit carefully and get ready for a new musical that’s hautter than hell!
Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion’s most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda’s impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed… and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted?
The musical is based on Lauren Weisberger‘s best-selling 2003 novel and the 2006 blockbuster film from Twentieth Century Studios which went on to gross $326 million worldwide and received two Academy Award nominations.
The Devil Wears Prada is produced by Tony Award winner Kevin McCollum (In the Heights, Avenue Q, Rent, SIX and Mrs. Doubtfire), Rocket Entertainment/David Furnish (Tammy Faye, Billy Elliot: The Musical) and Jamie Wilson (Mrs Doubtfire, Ain’t Too Proud, Sister Act The Musical) as a co-production with Theatre Royal Plymouth, and presented by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical.