Rising Broadway star and OU grad Adrianna Hicks wins first Grammy Award: What to know

Rising Broadway star and University of Oklahoma alumnus Adrianna Hicks is now a first-time Grammy Award winner.

A 2011 graduate of OU's Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre, Hicks is one of the principal vocalists on the original cast recording of the Broadway musical "Some Like It Hot," along with her co-stars Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee and NaTasha Yvette Williams.

"Some Like It Hot" won Best Musical Theater Album Feb. 4 at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

With its Grammy win, the stage adaptation of the beloved 1959 film beat out several other celebrated Broadway shows, including "Kimberly Akimbo," "Parade," "Shucked" and the revival of "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street" starring Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban.

What is the musical in 'Some Like It Hot' about?

The "Some Like It Hot" principal vocalists share the Grammy for the Best Musical Theater Album with the album's producers, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bryan Carter, Scott M. Riesett, Charlie Rosen and Marc Shaiman. The show's composer and lyricist, Shaiman also shares in the Grammy victory with his co-lyricist, Scott Wittman.

Based on legendary writer-director Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning movie, "Some Like It Hot" features a book by Tony winner Matthew López and television writer and personality Amber Ruffin.

Set in Chicago when Prohibition has everyone thirsty for a little excitement, "Some Like It Hot" tells the rollicking story of two musicians forced to flee the Windy City after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they disguise themselves as women and take jobs as the newest members of the swingingest big band ever to cross the country.

Hicks originated the role of Sugar, played by Marilyn Monroe in the movie, in the show's 2022-2023 Broadway run. The musical will embark on a national tour in autumn 2024.

"Some Like It Hot" was named best musical by the Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle. It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, winning Best Lead Actor in a Musical for Ghee, Best Choreography for Casey Nicholaw, Best Orchestrations for Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter and Best Costumes in a Musical Gregg Barnes.

Who is Grammy-winning Broadway star Adrianna Hicks?

As a student at OU, Hicks performed in several shows with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, including "Ragtime," "Hairspray," "Oliver" and "The Who's Tommy."

After earning her bachelor's degree in Oklahoma, Hicks, 34, began her professional theater career with Stage Entertainment in Germany after OU musical theater professor Paul Christman helped get her an audition. After moving to Europe, she performed in “Dirty Dancing — The Classic Story on Stage” and “Sister Act” in Germany and “Legally Blonde” in Austria.

The McKinney, Texas, native made her Broadway debut in 2015 in the Tony-winning revival of "The Color Purple" and starred in the show's national tour, which played Oklahoma City in 2017, marking her Sooner State return.

Hicks also performed on Broadway in 2017 in the ensemble of the Disney musical adaptation "Aladdin."

Before originating the role of Sugar in the musical "Some Like It Hot," the OU grad originated the role of Catherine of Aragon on Broadway in the smash musical "Six," an innovative remix of the historical stories of the six ill-fated Tudor queens who married Henry VIII.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU grad and 'Some Like It Hot' star Adrianna Hicks wins first Grammy