Actual People whose lives would make a good Musical- Page 3

[LyTeMyCanDyI]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 3:30pm

Chana Senesh. (Sometimes spelled Hannah Senesz or Szenes) She was a Hungarian Jew who fought in the Holocaust at the age of 18. She was caught and tortured but refused to give up the members of her group to save her own life. She was sent to death by firing squad and refused to have her eyes covered. she siad her last moments shouldn't be in darkness.
she was a poet and many of her poems have been turned into beautiful songs. (There's the music for the show!) The most well known are Ashrei Hagafrur (Blessed is the Match)and Eili, Eili (Oh Lord, My G-d).

here's the site for the lyrics and translation of Eili, Eili.

http://www.hebrewsongs.com/?song=elieli

here is the same for Ashrei Ha-Gafrur, with the music.

http://www.msu.edu/~eulenber/John/Songs/Blessed/Ashrei_Hagafrur.html

Eili, Eili is the most beautiful song I've ever heard.

This musical is my Senior Thesis for college, by the way. I'm a freshman now but this is what I want to do.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 7:46pm

Are you keeping tabs on me, Al Dente? I was not trying to be "naughty," as you say. I never knew anything about her until jimnysf informed me. I may have heard her name mentioned before, but that is all.

Here's my suggestion: Billie Holiday. When I was in high school we took a field trip to see a one-woman (plus small jazz band) show about her called LADY DAY. Basically, the actress came out in character all drugged up, sang several songs, and in between recounted her life story. It was funny in some spots and poignant at other times.

Another suggestion: Selena. A few years back I heard that a musical based on her life and career was in the works, but I didn't hear much after that. I'm more interested in her relationship with Yolanda (her fan club president, close friend, and the woman who eventually killed her) than I am about her rise to fame. (I felt cheated by the movie.) I think that would make for great theater.

Updated On: 8/7/06 at 07:46 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:27pm

First of all Selena the musical was already attempted many years ago in LA and remains, to this day, the only show people (including myself) walked out of en masse. And no stagem2, I'm not keeping "tabs" on you but, never hearing of someone and not knowing anything about them, are two different things and you just contradicted yourself.

[BreeDaniel]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 8:38pm

I saw that abortion known as Selena The Musical too and if memory serves, it was some sort of a full production workshop and was absolutely unwatchable. The movie will have to suffice.

[Hawker]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:04pm

Mario Lanza

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:32pm

Ge off my ass, Al Dente! At this point, I don't give a rat's ass who she is! She must not be that famous if I haven't heard of her.

BreeDaniel, why was the Selena musical unwatchabale?

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:38pm

If you all haven't heard, there's some sort of Donal Trump musical in workshop. I never thought his life would be one, but I guess he just bought himself a show.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:42pm

Someone said Henry VIII -- wasn't that Rex?

I love the idea of the golden age of movies one, Craig. There's a show called "There's No Place Like Hollywood" that seems sort of like a revue of that type of show...

How about:

Gandhi
A good one about Abraham Linoln
Einstein
Charlie Chaplain
Walt Disney

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 9:53pm

I just thought of another one. Truman Capote as he attempts to write his non-fiction novel IN COLD BLOOD. The film CAPOTE tried (but failed, in my opinion) to dramatize this chapter (no pun intended) of his life. Imagine the songs and scenes involving Capote and the killer with whom he falls in love.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:24pm

To jasonf-

God no! Not Walt Disney! Disney it taking over Broadway as much as it is, we don't need an entire musical about the man who started it all.

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:43pm

Whether you like it or not, Disney is filling theatres and providing long-term jobs for actors, musicians, and backstage crews.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:51pm

And Disney had an interesting life - he WOULD make a great subject for a musical.

[mominator]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:51pm

Joan of Arc

[Jon]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 10:58pm

There was a Charlie Chaplin musical that flopped in the early 1970's. It starred Anthony Newley, who also co-wrote it with Leslie Bricusse.

Joan of Arc was the lead female character in the flop musical "Goodtime Charlie" - Joel Grey as the Dauphin, Ann Reinking as Joan - now why wasn't that a hit??? Updated On: 8/7/06 at 10:58 PM

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 11:09pm

I don't know, but I Leave the World is a pretty great song...

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 8/12/06 at 9:02am

I'm telling you Rick Moranis would make a GREAT musical.

I was just thinking about all the stuff he's done and how funny he is on screen.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 8/12/06 at 9:09am

I think a Musical of Tina Turner's life would be AMAZING if done right!

Her rise to fame
Her abusive relationship with her husband
Her strength to finally leave
And then her unbelievable come back.

PERFECT

[francie]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:16pm

I have a CD of that Diana musical, and to quote from a lyric:

"Could be a star in Las Vegas! What a hoot!"

[faithanytwo]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:26pm

Wickedgeek, you beat me to it, I only thought of Joan Crawford when I saw the thread title.

[rosem7391]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:38pm

Jacques Brel

...oh wait.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 3:32pm

Unmaked05 "Rick Moranis "???????????????????????????? Do tell....

[luvliza89]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 3:37pm

Judy Garland.

Seriously all the material is there begging to be musicalized the right way and bring down Broadway every night.

[bwaybaby891]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 3:56pm

My life. It has a lot of downs and quite a few ups. Plus I could star in it! What could be better?

If not me then Ethel Merman. The true queen of Broadway.

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 4:09pm

Rose Pearl asked:

"Has there been a musical about Marilyn Monroe yet?"

There have been at least two. One in Broadway and one in London. Musical theatre *did* exist before Wicked as do places to research these things.

First of all, it was just a question. Second of all, I'm very well aware that musical theatre existed before Wicked. I've loved theatre my whole life, long before Wicked was ever thought of, thank you.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 4:16pm

Madonna. It could easily be a jukebox musical threading her own songs into a narrative of her life.