Bette Midler investing in Priscilla Queen of the Desert on Broadway

According to the New York Post Bette Midler has become the latest star producer by investing an undisclosed amount of money in the Broadway bound production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.  The Divine Miss M apparently  fell in love with the show when she saw it London's Palace Theatre.

Other A list star investors include Oprah Winfrey for The Color Purple, Elton John for Next Fall and Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith love the Afro-beats of Fela! which opens at the National Theatre in London next month.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is currently previewing in Toronto where it will play a 12-week engagement prior to it opening on February 28th 2011 at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. The musical stars Tony Sheldon as Bernadette, Will Swenson as Tick/Mitzi and Nick Adams as Adam/Felicia.

Priscilla seems tailor-made for Miss Midler as she adores drag queens, is often impersonated by them and was even mistaken for one. She started her career doing a nightclub act with Barry Manilow at the gay Continental Baths and said  "I had a friend write jokes for me and I was very au courant with the gay scene and I had the lingo and so they thought: Oh look, a drag queen!'"

The NYP article says that Midler will attend rehearsals and "will not be shy about expressing her opinions."