Betsy Wolfe to star in new musical ‘Joy’ off Broadway this summer

The show named for and based on the autobiography of the entrepreneur Joy Mangano had a world-premiere run in New Jersey in 2022.

Joy to the world! Joy, a new musical inspired by true events, will run off Broadway for a limited time this summer, playing at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre from June 21 to August 17. Opening night is July 20.

Joy is based on the life of Joy Mangano, an inventor and entrepreneur best known for creating the Miracle Mop. The show follows how she went from a divorced, bankrupt single mother to a successful businesswoman who now has 71 patent families and 126 distinct patent publications.

“I am beyond thrilled that Joy is opening in NYC this summer,” Mangano said in a statement. “This musical will excite everyone who experiences it! Betsy radiates joy in every way, and I’m honored she’s going to be the driving force of inspiring others with my story in this production. The music will keep you singing even after you leave!"

Mangano previously wrote about her life in the autobiography Inventing Joy, and Jennifer Lawrence earned a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination for portraying her in the 2015 film Joy. The book and movie are credited as source material for the stage show.

The Joy musical premiered at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey in 2022, with Erika Henningsen in the title role. For the Off-Broadway transfer, Tony Award nominee Betsy Wolfe (& Juliet, Waitress) will star as Joy.

“Joy is the fighter, the unsung hero in all of us. At a time where women were often left to stifle dreams, her love for her family led her to do something extraordinary and shows us all what it looks like to believe in yourself,” said Wolfe in a statement.

Joy features a book by Ken Davenport and music and lyrics by AnnMarie Milazzo. The creative team includes director Lorin Latarro, choreographer Joshua Bergasse, music director, Jillian Zack, music supervisor Andy Einhorn, set designer Anna Louizos, costume designer Tina McCartney, sound designers Kai Harada and Haley Parcher, projection and video designer David Bengali, and hair and wig designer Darion Matthews.

A Joy album and a music video for the song "The Shape of Things," performed by Milazzo, are currently available.

Check back for information on Joy tickets on New York Theatre Guide.