Indian American Director and Choreographer Devanand Janki’s ‘Little Blue Girl’ to Premiere Off-Broadway
- Written by and starring Laiona Michelle, the musical tells the story of singer/songwriter Nina Simone.
Devanand Janki’s directorial “Little Girl Blue,” a show about the life of singer/songwriter Nina Simone, will have its off-Broadway premiere at New World Stages on March 5 ahead of an opening night on March 14. The show will run for a limited engagement through May 22.
The musical is written by Laiona Michelle (“The Book of Mormon” and “Amazing Grace”) who also stars as Simone. She is joined on stage by Kenn Salters, Saadi Zain, and pianist Mark Fifer, who is also the music director and arranger for “Little Girl Blue,” according to the New York Theater Guide.
The Canada-raised, New York-based director and choreographer is the founder and artistic director of Live In Color, a theater company whose mission is to develop new plays and musicals that promote and celebrate diversity. His career spans all facets of the performing arts – theatre, opera, ballet and corporate entertainment.
He began as a performer, appearing in numerous productions including Broadway’s “Miss Saigon,” “Cats,” “The King & I,” and “Side Show.” For the past 15 years, he has been a freelance director, working regionally and in New York on over 50 shows including “Aladdin,” “Junie B. Jones,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Rent,” and “The Full Monty.” He won the Lucille Lortel Award. for off-Broadway’s “Zanna Don’t.”