Warrior in the Avengers universe, a Tatort inspector in Lower Saxony, and now a feared fashion icon: actress Florence Kasumba will take on the lead role of the formidable editor Miranda Priestly in the musical “The Devil Wears Prada” in Hamburg, Stage Entertainment announced. The Elton John–penned musical is set to hit the stage starting in December. The production is planned for the Stage Theater Neue Flora, where “Tarzan” is still running through the end of October.
She is very much looking forward to the rehearsals, Kasumba told the German press agency in Hamburg. “I’ve had a real craving for musical theater for a while. I miss singing and dancing a lot. Fashion has always interested me, and with this role I can truly bring all four things together — singing, dancing, acting and fashion.”
Kasumba’s artistic roots lie in musical theater. The 49-year-old studied singing, dancing, and acting, performed in “Mamma Mia!” in 2002, and was cast as Aida in the eponymous musical in 2003. Elton John selected her for that role, and once again he had a hand in the casting this time as well.
“Miranda Priestly needs authority, intelligence, charisma, and style — and Florence Kasumba has all of that. She has an extraordinary presence that can transform a room the moment she enters,” Elton John said in a press release. The songs will be performed in a German-language version in Hamburg. “I’m excited to see our German-stage version,” Kasumba added.
The musical “The Devil Wears Prada” is already enjoying a successful run in London’s West End. It tells the story of journalist Andy, who lands a job at a fashion magazine and must endure the relentless, tyrannical editor. To meet the editor’s impossible demands, Andy sacrifices her personal life and gradually becomes drawn into a glamorous world she once despised.
With Miranda Priestly, Kasumba says she shares only part of that character: “There’s a lot of focus in me: when I work, I am very focused. That can make me appear stern outwardly—and can be intimidating if you don’t know me.” She is not actually authoritarian, and she avoids collaborating with people who are overly controlling.
