First Look: How Broadway Is Reimagining ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ for the Stage

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The pairing of Dunham and Jepsen signals an unexpected creative direction for the musical. Dunham, best known for creating HBO’s Girls and directing the 2022 feature Catherine Called Birdy, has spent her career writing characters defined by raw insecurity, sharp intellect, and social missteps. Her voice aligns naturally with Kat Stratford’s prickly self-awareness and the domestic warfare between sisters Kat and Bianca.

Jepsen brings a different set of strengths to the score. While globally recognized for her multi-platinum single "Call Me Maybe," her critical reputation rests on a string of acclaimed pop albums, including Emotion and The Loneliest Time, built on emotive, hook-driven synth-pop and narrative songwriting. She also possesses practical stage credibility, having played the title character in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Broadway in 2014. Instead of leaning on jukebox nostalgia, Jepsen is penning an entirely original musical palette intended to bridge Kat's guitar-driven riot grrrl aesthetic with theatrical storytelling.