A new musical chronicling the life of soul queen Aretha Franklin has been slated for a March 2008 opening in Detroit.
The musical will tell the tale of Aretha’s life through the ages, so a casting mission to find performers for each stage of her life is currently being planned for May in Detroit.
Other characters in need of performers include Sam Cooke, Dinah Washington, Smokey Robinson and Art Tatum.
After Detroit, the musical – based on the bestselling autobiography Aretha: From These Roots – will play in a selected number of cities on its way to Broadway.
Franklin is one of the most awarded musicians in the industry, earning a multitude of accolades, including 17 Grammys, 17 Number 1 singles, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Kennedy Center Honor and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The artist is still going strong, having recently started her own record label and with a debut self-released album lined up which will follow her hugely successful 2005 album.