Every gay who grew up in the ‘90s has been jonesing for a revival of The Nanny, Fuller House style, for as long as this nostalgia craze has been going on. While we’re not getting that (yet?), we are getting something we never even DREAMED of asking for — The Nanny is coming to Broadway.
Fran Drescher, who served as co-creator and titular star of the original series (duh), will be writing the book for the show alongside co-creator Peter Marc Jacobson, who also happens to be her gay ex-husband and frequent collaborator.
And as if that isn’t fabulous enough, they’re upping the odds of success with the announcement that Rachel Bloom and Adam Schlesinger of everyone’s favorite TV musical, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, will be stepping up to provide the music and lyrics.
If you’re a rare unfortunate soul unfamiliar with the Queens sitcom staple, The Nanny featured Fran Fine (played by Drescher) stumbling into a nanny job for a Broadway producer’s three children after going door-to-door selling cosmetics. It’s a classic tale of two wildly different worlds colliding — Fran coming in loud both in voice and fashion vs the Sheffields’ reserve and wealth — as they earn their way towards a happy medium (and a happily ever after).
“The Nanny was a fundamental part of my childhood because it was the first time I saw an openly Jewish female protagonist on television,” Bloom said. “The story of Fran Fine, however, is a universal one that has touched the hearts of people of every race, religion and orientation. I am so proud to be using the characters established by The Nanny to tell a new story about one woman’s journey to becoming proud of who she is and what makes her different.”
Jacobson and Drescher also offered a few words about the phenomenal news: “We are SO excited to be working on the Broadway musical The Nanny. Nobody is cast yet — we’re plotting — but we feel confident we will find a fabulous actress who is funny, charming, and has a great voice”
Drescher also added that she would love to reprise her most famous role herself, “but we’d have to change the title to The Granny.”
