First-Ever Manga Musical Lands Off Broadway With Caruso
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- Sophia Anne Caruso will star as Colette in 'Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen,' the first Manga graphic novel developed into an American musical in the English language, with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik and a book by Leah Nanako Winkler
- The musical premieres at a new Off Broadway venue called The Night Egg at the Culture Club in Manhattan's Chelsea — the former home of the long-running immersive production Sleep No More — with performances beginning Friday, September 25, opening night Thursday, October 15, and a run through Sunday, January 3, 2027
- Rob Ashford will direct and choreograph, joined by a creative team that includes three-time Tony winner Scott Pask (scenic design), eight-time Tony winner Catherine Zuber (costume design), Tony winner Cody Spencer (sound design), Brian Tovar (lighting), and Tom Watson (hair and wig)
- The story follows Colette, a witty young dreamer in 20th-century Paris who finds her power through writing while working at an elusive maison close called Night Egg, chronicling her eccentric clients' fantasies and transforming herself from object to observer
- Producers Kenny Kurokawa, Rayman, and Antonio Marion lead the production, with executive producers Nobu Matsukura and Shin Yamada, and Or Matias handling music supervision, vocal, and incidental music arrangements
- Caruso first gained recognition originating the role of Lydia Deetz in Broadway's 'Beetlejuice,' with additional credits including 'Grey House,' 'Lazarus,' 'The Nether,' and Netflix's 'The School for Good and Evil' alongside Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington
Why it matters: This marks the first Manga graphic novel ever adapted into an American English-language musical, a milestone in cross-cultural stage adaptation. The production stacks multiple Tony Award winners across its creative team and books the former Sleep No More warehouse for a 14-week holiday-season run from September 25 through January 3, 2027.
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