‘Sensible Magic’ Broadway Musical in Growth With Norah Jones
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The beloved story of the Owens sisters is getting a new form of magic. A stage musical adaptation of Practical Magic is now in development, bringing together an unexpected creative team that includes Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Norah Jones, according to Deadline.
The creative team behind the adaptation
Author Alice Hoffman, who wrote the original 1995 novel, is collaborating directly on the musical’s book alongside Peter Duchan. Duchan previously wrote the book for the 2013 musical Dogfight, bringing theatrical storytelling experience to the project.
The music comes from an intriguing pairing: Norah Jones and Gregg Wattenberg, both Grammy winners, are composing the score. Maria Friedman, director of the acclaimed Merrily We Roll Along revival, will helm the production.
Hoffman’s statement about the project reveals her long-held vision for the material: “I’m so excited to be working with my amazing collaborators on bringing Practical Magic to the stage. This story of love and sisterhood is meant for the theater. Music is the heart and soul of Practical Magic, you can hear it as you read the book, even though it isn’t there. Now you will finally hear the story as I always imagined it. You will hear magic.”
The official synopsis positions the musical around themes that have drawn audiences time and time again:
For more than two centuries, the Owens women have been feared, blamed and whispered about in their small Massachusetts town. Orphaned as children and raised by their eccentric aunts, sisters Sally and Gillian Owens grow up determined to escape the ancestral curse they inherited. Choosing opposite paths, the sisters try to outrun their past, until love, loss and long-buried secrets pull them back together. Forced to confront their family legacy, Sally and Gillian must decide whether the past can be overcome—and how much they are willing to risk for love.
The film history
Warner Bros adapted Hoffman’s novel into a 1998 film directed by Griffin Dunne. The cast included Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing and Aidan Quinn.
The film has experienced something of a cultural resurgence in recent years, particularly around autumn when its aesthetic and themes align with seasonal interests. What was initially a modest theatrical release has become a fan-favorite.
A film sequel reuniting Bullock and Kidman is set to premiere in cinemas on September 11, 2026. Susanne Bier is directing. Both original stars are also serving as producers on the project.
Behind the scenes of the sequel
In an interview conducted in August 2025 with Vogue, Kidman discussed the experience of returning to the franchise while also working behind the camera as a producer alongside Bullock.
Working together again was “joyful,” Kidman shared. When asked about their reunion, Bullock offered her own perspective: “It seems both of our mothers raised VERY independent women.”
The conversation touched on the film’s feminist underpinnings. Witchcraft accusations historically targeted women perceived as too spirited or independent—a reality the story acknowledges. Kidman agreed with this framing, adding that the movie’s feminism was “all wrapped up in a pretty bow, with margaritas!”
The musical is being produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Beyond that, key details remain unannounced.
Casting has not been revealed. A production timeline—including whether the show will have an out-of-town tryout, a Broadway target date, or a different initial venue—has not been shared. The scope of the production, its staging approach, and how the creative team plans to translate the story’s magical elements to live theater all remain open questions.