Legendary actor, singer and dancer Vanessa Williams has said she is already ‘loving’ Plymouth as she prepares for a starring role in the new musical The Devil Wears Prada which is opening at Theatre Royal Plymouth next month.
The instantly-recognisable star – perhaps best known for her role as Wilhemina in the US series Ugly Betty – arrived in Plymouth earlier this month, and was at a special launch event at Mount Edgcumbe on Wednesday.
Williams, who is playing the role of Miranda Priestly in the musical, was part of the cast and crew of the musical who took a boat from Royal William Yard to the exclusive launch event at The Orangery, on the Cornwall side of the Tamar.
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She said her arrival to an apartment overlooking the Hoe coincided with Sting headlining the Summer Sessions 2024 – and she initially thought it was a Police cover band before realising she was watching the real thing.
She told The Herald: “We came in Sunday night and we’ve been in rehearsals, but the night that I came I opened my window and looked down and saw this music, and saw a band. I thought ‘it’s got to be a cover band’ but I was texting someone saying here’s my view, and they said ‘it’s Sting’.
“I thought it was a Police cover band, but I was told, no, that’s actually Sting! Then of course I listened to the whole concert out of my window, so that was lovely to arrive to.”
At the launch event, director Jerry Mitchell revealed that he had immediately conjured up Williams in his mind when he agreed to take on the project – having been approached by Elton John and David Furnish. With Elton writing exclusive new music for the show, Jerry said he had coaxed Williams away from another project on Broadway.
Williams said the chance to create her own character was a ‘dream’.
She explained: “I was in a workshop and slated to do another show, and came in to do another workshop, and Jerry [Mitchell] said he would come to me with an offer, but I knew that all of the pieces had to line up.
“So I committed to it, and Jerry called me and said ‘it’s happening, we really want you’. So I trusted Jerry and he had a vision for it, and said that Elton is going to write new music for it, and that he guaranteed that it was going to be spectacular and they really would love me to play Miranda Priestly. It was an opportunity to create a role, which has always been my dream, to create a role – and this is an opportunity.”
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Williams shot to fame as the first black Miss America in 1984, but is also known as the voice behind the hit track Save the Best for Last.
As well as her theatrical role, she is also this year launching her first new album in 15 years, and in April released the single Legs (Keep Dancing). But it will be her role in Ugly Betty, in which she played Wilhelmina Slater, a conceited creative director at a fashion magazine, which is the closest link to her upcoming character.
She said: “I think people will automatically think that – every look that I give, people think it’s Wilhelmina, but it’s just me and I can’t change my face.
“But I think people that are fans of my work will be happy, people that have never seen me before will be truly entertained because the talent is extraordinary. Wait until you hear these voices.
“The dancing is beautiful, everyone looks spectacular and gorgeous, the girls are all 5ft 10 to 6ft with long gorgeous legs, and the runway fashions are amazing. So we are bringing fashion and fans of the movie will be satisfied because they are hearing specific moments from the movie that are going to be spoken on stage.”
Having been promised a warm reception in the city, she said it was already living up to expectations.
She said: “The food has been wonderful, I’ve shopped twice already – there is a beautiful shop in Royal William Yard called Identity which I got my sunglasses from.
“I’ve got a whole wardrobe because it’s been so cold in London, and when I got here it was still cold, but then the sun has come out and it’s warmed up and this is what we want. People have said don’t worry, Plymouth is going to be warmer, you’re going to love it… and I am loving it.”
The Devil Wears Prada is showing at Theatre Royal Plymouth from July 6 to August 17. Book at https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/the-devil-wears-prada/#book
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