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# Lena Waithe, Debbie Allen and more collaborating on Broadway-bound musical adaptation of the Disney film ‘Polly’
- URL: https://www.broadwaynews.com/lena-waithe-debbie-allen-and-more-collaborating-on-broadway-bound-musical-adaptation-of-the-disney-film-polly/
- Published: 2025-06-04T18:41:03.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-04T18:41:03.000Z
- Description: The stage adaptation will feature a book by Lena Waithe and Michael Benjamin Washington, music and lyrics by Siedah Garrett and Joriah Kwamé, and direction and choreography by Debbie Allen, who directed the original 1989 film.
- Author: Hayley Levitt for Broadway.com
- Tags: In Development, Polly: The Musical, News, Debbie Allen, Lena Waithe

Producer Brian Anthony Moreland announced the development of “Polly: The Musical,” a new Broadway-bound production based on the Disney television movie with teleplay by William Blinn and the novel “Pollyanna” by Eleanor H. Porter. The stage adaptation will feature a book by Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe and Michael Benjamin Washington, music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Siedah Garrett and Joriah Kwamé, and direction and choreography by two-time Tony nominee Debbie Allen, who directed the original 1989 film.

“Polly” is set in Alabama in the 1950s where Polly, a plucky orphan with a relentless sense of optimism, is forced to contend with negativity and conflict in a small town under segregation. The 1989 film featured Keshia Knight-Pulliam, Phylicia Rashad and the final film performance from Butterfly McQueen, and was followed by a 1990 sequel, “Polly: Comin’ Home.”

“The message of Polly is one that we need today more than ever,” said Allen in a statement. “That the power of a single positive voice can make change in the face of adversity and divisiveness; that the voice of a child could bring unity and hope—is what Polly is about. This musical, with its joy and its unbridled hope, will shine a light on a path for every audience to find unity in their community.” 

> [This article previously appeared on Broadway.com.](https://www.broadway.com/buzz/205787/lena-waithe-debbie-allen-and-more-collaborating-on-broadway-bound-musical-adaptation-of-the-disney-film-polly/?ref=broadwaynews.com)