‘The Devil Wears Prada,’ And More

Sir Elton John didn’t just write the music for “The Devil Wears Prada” — he popped in at the Broadway Across America’s Biennial Theatrical Conference to sell it himself.

The closed-to-press gathering, held Feb. 9-11 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, gives producers, presenters and booking agents from across North America an early look at shows bound for Broadway and the road. About 250 attendees made the trip, with director Jon M. Chu delivering the opening keynote.

John Legend was also on hand to showcase “Imitation of Life,” for which he composed the score (book by Lynn Nottage), and original members of TLC turned out for “CrazySexyCool.” Other projects in the mix included Sara Bareilles’s new musical “The Interestings,” Gloria and Emily Estefan’s “Basura,” “10 Things I Hate About You” (score by Carly Rae Jepsen and Ethan Gruska), “Crazy Rich Asians” (directed by Chu) and “Practical Magic,” scored by Norah Jones, among others.

“At its heart, theater has always been about people coming together in the same room,” said John Gore, CEO of The John Gore Organization. “When producers, presenters, and artists meet face to face — trading ideas, strengthening relationships, sparking new connections — we’re living out the very thing that makes live performance so powerful and impossible to replicate.”

Lauren Reid, president of BAA, struck a similarly optimistic note. “This conference always offers a glimpse at the future of Broadway, and as anyone in attendance this year can attest, the future is bright,” she said. “The generosity and collaborative spirit I witnessed left me tremendously excited about what’s ahead for our industry.”

Directors Michael Arden, Liesl Tommy, Michael Greif and Christopher Ashley were among the creative contingent in attendance, alongside Robert Wankel, chairman and CEO of the Shubert Organization; Nick Scandalios, executive vice president of the Nederlander Organization; Nicole Kastrinos, producer at Lincoln Center Theatre and Lori Hotz, North American CEO of ATG.

The conference has a track record of attracting big names — past editions have drawn the likes of Alicia Keys for “Hells Kitchen”, members of the Goo Goo Dolls and the Avett Brothers, among others.

Variety has exclusive photos from the conference, taken by photographer Sergio Villarini.