Just What You Wanted, an American Girl Doll 'Live Musical Experience'

American Girl, the company that makes expensive dolls and accessories for children, is taking the next big step towards… something and launching a “live musical experience,” set to tour North America in the fall with an all-woman cast and crew. Yay…?

“We’re thrilled to bring a new touring experience to families across the U.S. and offer this unique live-engagement with the brand,” Katy Dickson, president of American Girl told Variety. “We know girls and their families and friends will love seeing these incredible stories come to life in an exciting, new stage production that offers an unwavering belief in the positive power of girlhood.”

I’m thrilled that Katy is thrilled, but I’m not entirely sure how this musical extravaganza will honor the life and legacy of American Girl dolls? Though the brand has expanded since its 1986 inception to include dolls that represent the breadth of the experience of being a living American girl, my heart will always be with the historical dolls—rebranded now as “BeForever,” which makes NO SENSE—who are way more fun.

For instance, Samantha Parkington, a little fancy bitch from 1904, likes to climb trees and has a grandmother she calls Grandmary; will she sing a yearning ballad about privilege in turn of the century New York? One of the newest American Girl dolls is Nanea Mitchell, a Hawaiian girl living in 1941, whose description on the site references the aloha spirit and says that the bombs of Pearl Harbor “left a puka, a hole.” Addy, the first black American Girl doll, was born into slavery and escaped to freedom with her family. How will their stories be told via the classic American medium of musical theatre?

“As a premiere experiential brand, dedicated to delivering rich content and unforgettable memories, American Girl has touched the hearts and minds of girls and their families for decades,” Michael Mills, CEO of Mills Entertainment, the other company that’s bringing this spectacle to life, told Variety. “We are proud to partner with Mattel to bring the American Girl experience to the live stage.”