EXCLUSIVE: We have learned that Will & Grace Emmy winning Best Actress Debra Messing is joining Netflix’s feature adaptation of Broadway’s 13: The Musical.
She joins the previously announced cast that we first told you about of Eli Golden, Gabriella Uhl, JD McCrary, Frankie McNellis, Lindsey Blackwell, Jonathan Lengel, Ramon Reed, Nolen Dubuc, Luke Islam, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Kayleigh Cerezo, Wyatt Moss, Liam Wignall, and Khiyla Aynne in the Tamra Davis directed feature.
13: The Musical, produced by Neil Meron with Tony Award winner Robert Horn adapting the script off the book he co-wrote with Dan Elish, follows 12-year old Evan Goldman (12). He moves from NYC to small-town Indiana where he grapples with his parents’ divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school. Messing will play Evan Goldman’s (Golden) mom.
Three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, who served as the composer and lyricist on the original musical, is also composing new music for the feature here. EPs are Davis, Brown, Horn, Mark Nicholson and Bob Boyett. Jamal Sims is choreographer. Executive Music Producer is Golden Globe Nominee Harvey Mason Jr.
Messing, an NYU Tisch School of the Arts grad, is renowned for her portrayal of Grace Adler on NBC’s hit 18x Emmy-winning comedy series Will & Grace across 246 episodes. She also played Julia Houston on 32 episodes of NBC’s musical series Smash, and she starred on the USA series The Starter Wife. Her feature credits include A Walk in the Clouds, Along Came Polly, The Wedding Date, The Women and Searching. Messing is repped by The Gersh Agency, 3 Arts and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.