Hazel is heading to Broadway

Ted Key’s Hazel is being adapted for a Broadway musical with music by composer Ron Abel and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. The two began negotiations for the rights before Ted passed in 2008 and were since able to secure the rights with the Key estate. Lissa Levin, the Edward Kleban Award-winning playwright and Emmy-nominated producer has been chosen to write the Broadway script for Hazel.

“We’re thrilled to see Hazel finally coming to Broadway, it’s something my father always dreamed of,” said Peter Key, son of Hazel’s creator Ted Key and representative of the artist’s estate. “Hazel has an inner humanity that projected well in both cartoons and on TV, and Dad always thought her character would project very well in theater.” The only medium he was never able to bring his work to during his lifetime was the live stage, and this lets both him and his most popular creation finally assume their rightful place on Broadway.”

If all goes well, Hazel will hit the stage in 2011.

Ted created the Hazel character in 1943 for the Saturday Evening Post and it went into syndication in 1969 when the Post folded. The feature was also adapted for television and ran from 1961 through 1965. Ted retired the feature in 1993.

2 thoughts on “Hazel is heading to Broadway

  1. Hooray! Another comic makes it to broadway. (Anyone know the status of the other comics that that were announced this past year or so who made the jump to the stage?)

    I’m sorry the strip’s creator didn’t live to see Hazel make it to Broadway. I hope they find someone as awesome to play her as Shirley Booth was in the TV series.

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