BOOP! The Musical Makes Philadelphia Debut

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Betty Boop has been a part of pop culture for almost a century, captivating fans with her signature voice, style and heart.

Now, she's coming to us LIVE and in color in BOOP! The Musical.

We got a sneak peek as it gets ready to make its Philadelphia premiere next week at the Academy of Music.

Stepping into the role of Betty Boop is Aliya Grace.

"She's iconic," says Grace. "It's surreal being the lead in my first national tour, let alone being Betty Boop. I pinch myself a lot because I've always loved Betty Boop."

In the touring Broadway musical, we find Betty Boop as we've all come to know her: in her black and white cartoon world.

Tired of her repetitive, hyper-famous lifestyle, she dreams of experiencing more. She wants something real.

"So she gets in a machine that takes her to the real world," says Grace, "and she lands at Comic-Con in New York City in 2026. It's about her adventure of finding something that she feels like she was missing. There's some love stories in there. There's some friendship stories in there."

Grace says this show is a bright and bubbly pop of joy. Even though she's been an animated staple since 1930, we get to know Betty in a brand new way.

"You get to see her become a human by the end of the show, says Grace. "So you really get to know her personality and her quirks. She's a little sassy, which I definitely resonate with. But she also has a lot of heart, and she really cares for the people around her. She can also be very glamorous, and she just embraces life to the fullest. I definitely resonate with that."

BOOP! The Musical is at the Academy of Music November 17th through the 22nd.

https://www.ensembleartsphilly.org/series-and-subscriptions/broadway-series/boop-the-musical