Coronavirus: Princess Diana musical to premiere on Netflix after Broadway debut postponed by Covid-19

Diana had been originally slated for an official opening on 31 March after previews earlier that month but production was shut down as a result of Covid-19. Photo / Supplied, Matthew Murphy.

The Princess Diana musical will air on Netflix before opening on Broadway.

'Diana', starring Jeanna de Waal as Diana, Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles, Erin Davie as Camilla Parker Bowles and Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth, was expected to open on March 31 but this was axed as the Covid-19 pandemic closed Broadway and its premiere date has now been moved to May 25, 2021.

In the meantime, the show will premiere on Netflix next year, with the producers explaining in a statement: "We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn't be more excited to finally be able share our show with theatre lovers everywhere. Though there is no substitute for the live theatre, we are honoured to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide."

The musical is directed by Christopher Ashley and the producers have worked closely with the Actors' Equity Association to ensure filming can take place safely during the global health crisis.

The musical is now set to open in May 2021 but in an unprecedented move, it will now premiere on Netflix before then. Photo / Supplied, Matthew Murphy.

Mary McColl, executive director of Actors' Equity Association, said: "Much of the work that Equity staff is currently doing involves collaborating with producers on health and safety protocols. Today, we can announce that we have approved a safety plan for 'Diana'. Now comes the hard part - taking a safety plan from the page and putting it into practice. The work to provide the safest workplace possible in this environment will require everyone to work together, from the employer to every employee."

The story has been written by Joe DiPietro, with music and lyrics from David Bryan and choreography by Kelly Devine.