Polly is Coming to Broadway However I am not Writing the Musical

This could have been my dream; however, that dream was dissolved. Although I am sad, I am pretty excited about it.

Polly is coming to Broadway; however, I will not be writing the book for the Polly musical. According to TheatreMaina, Producer Brian Anthony Moreland has announced the development of Polly: The Musical, a new Broadway-bound production based on the 1989 Disney television movie with teleplay by William Blinn and the novel by Eleanor H. Porter. Debbie Allen, who originally directed and choreographed the television film, will direct this musical with Emmy winner Lena Waithe and Michael Benjamin Washington writing the book and Grammy Award winner Siedah Garrett and Joriah Kwamé writing music and lyrics.

Polly is based on a children's novel by Eleanor H. Porter; however, the title of her book was"Pollyanna". Pollyanna tells a story about an orphan who goes to live with her wealthy aunt, who has the same first name as Polly. Pollyanna has been adapted for film several times. In 1920, Mary Pickford starred as Pollyanna in a silent film. Years later, Disney adapted Pollyanna twice: in 196o, Pollyanna starring Haley Mills as Pollyanna. The 1960 flick stuck with Pollyanna's story and in 1989 was adapted again, this time the film was retitled "Polly," starring Keisha Knight Pulliam as Polly. The 1989 film sticks partially to the novel instead; the film takes place in Alabama during the 1950s and is about Polly, a plucky orphan with a relentless sense of optimism who is forced to contend with negativity and conflict in a small town during the segregation era. The cast is filled with African American actors.

Polly was originally broadcast on NBC on November 12, 1989. The film was a hit; however, critics tarnished the film, calling it the "worst kind of fairytale," and another from the Washington Post "may be a little too sweet for everyone's taste." Polly received two Emmy nominations. Despite the critics' criticism, the film came back for a sequel with the same cast, and it became another hit. Before the surprising announcement, I was planning to adapt Polly after watching the film and reading the comments section from fans of the film.

I started to write the draft musical script on September 26, 2017. I got a chance to message Patty and Michael Silversher (lyricists behind "Sweet Little Angel Eyes" for the 1989 film), and they told me to contact Disney Image Publishing.

I emailed Disney on November 15th, 2018. A month later, I received the letter from Disney.

Letter from Disney:

In case you can't read the image of the letter:

Dear Ms. Muturi,

Thank you for your submission of November 15th requesting to create a theatrical stage musical based on Walt Disney Television's feature Polly.

We are sincerely flattered that Polly has inspired you. Regrettably, we are unable to grant your request. Our characters and properties are proteceted by intellectual property laws and we must limit their permitted use to products and services that our company creates or distributes or those that have a direct relationship with our company. Unfortunately, your proposed use does not fall within those parameters.

We thank you fr your interest in Disney, and wish you success with your future literary endeavors.

Best Regards,

Margaret Adamic

Disappointed! I still didn't want to give up Polly because that was my dream to adapt the musical film to a Broadway musical, so I made a petition on change.org which will now deleted. But either way, I'm sad yet not crying that I will never get the opportunity to adapt Polly for Broadway. One day in life, I might be able to get my chance to be a book writer for a musical, and hopefully, soon, you never know, I will win a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. I am proud that Debbie Allen is directing and choreographing this musical better than anyone else. I hope I will come to New York to see Polly soon.

Good luck Lena Waithe and Michael Benjamin Washington!!!!!