The popular ’90s romantic-comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You, is currently being adapted for the stage. It was announced that a collaboration of creatives will be working on the upcoming musical. Lena Dunham and Jessica Huang are working on the book, while Carly Rae Jepsen and Ethan Gruska will be responsible for the score.
The 1999 film was based upon the 1594 Shakespearian play, The Taming of the Shrew. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Heath Ledger, and Julia Stiles, the Gil Junger-directed movie followed a high school boy (Gordon-Levitt) who hires an intimidating classmate (Ledger) to seduce the sister (Stiles) of his love interest.
Considered by some to be the best teen movie of its generation, 1999 The Guardian review stated: “It’s the smartest, funniest and most likeable film of the week and is, moreover, in the most charming and unselfconscious manner possible, a homage to William Shakespeare.”
Now, the story will change shape again as it makes its way to Broadway. Tony-winner Christopher Wheeldon is responsible for direction and choreography, and Tony-winner Tom Kitt will provide music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations.
Dunham, best known for her HBO series Girls, is writing with the playwright Huang, who penned the award-winning play, Mother of Exiles. Dunham is currently working on several other projects including, a Netflix Series Too Much, an Apple film about Sam Bankman-Fried, and a rom-com Good Sex, starring Natalie Portman.
Grammy-nominated Jepsen rose to fame with her 2011 song, Call Me Maybe. Her co-writer for the upcoming adaptation, Gruska, produced her recent album, The Loveliest Time.
Mike Bosner of Shucked and Beautiful — The Carole King Musical is producing.
Casting and a timeline for production have not yet been announced.
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