Completely agreed on EYES OF THE DRAGON. What an underrated book!! I learned there actually was a stage version of it at La Ruche Théatre, Marcinelle, Belgium in 2009 a while back so it's possible we could see it again.
My lists includes SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK, THE MOLE PEOPLE (the book by Jennifer Toth), PLAYING DEAD (the book by Elizabeth Greenwood), RUNNING WITH SCISSORS (the book though--the movie strayed too far and was not good IMO), RETURN TO OZ, HAMLET 2 (but just the play version of HAMLET 2, not the full movie) among others.
HamilHansen said: "Alice147 said: "twinklingstar said: "I've been wanting to see Neil Gaiman's novel "The Graveyard Book" adapted into a musical for years. It's just so fun and perfect."
That would be amazing! I love Neil Gaiman, and with so much of his work being adapted for film (Stardust, Coraline) and television (American Gods, Good Omens - which I can't wait for), a theatre project would be a really interesting move. The Graveyard Book is a perfect choice, I agree."
Let me be the one to third this! In the hands of a skilled composer (this would be interesting work for Tim Minchin) and director, and get Neil Gaiman involved in the process,it could be magical."
Tim Minchin's an interesting choice for composer! I really want this to happen now...
Count me in for Return to Oz and Eyes of the Dragon. Too bad Jan Maxwell is no longer with us, she’d be an amazing Nurse Wilson/Mombi for Return to Oz. (Probably won’t ever be a musical at all, but I can dream!) speaking of the Lost Disney Movies Time Forgot, someone did a regional “Something Wicked This Way Comes” musical a few years back. I wish that would come to NY.
Another day, another dollar is the reality of my mentality. Otherwise, don't even bother.- TLC
Three suggestions I like a lot (one with a "never again" caveat):
darquegk's suggestion for Calrissa - definitely NOT exactly the same, but similar to shows like Matilda (which I still believe was a more worthy, and more original musical that should have won Best Musical) and Next to Normal. I love frothy, fun musicals, but my preference is for musicals that engage me on more than one level.
WhizzerMarvin's suggestion for A Confederacy of Dunces - I also am a HUGE fan of the book, and those characters... wow... those characters! What an incredible cast of actors it would require to condense all that richness into the timeframe of a musical. (I'm also still anticipating a movie version.)
Charley Kringas Inc's suggestion for Woody Allen's Alice - I think that quite a few of Allen's movies would make fantastic musicals. The one I thought would most likely be successful was Bullets Over Broadway. The problem (for me) is that Allen seems unwilling to trust anyone to write an original score. His insistence on using music from the period in BOB really killed what could have been an excellent musical (IMO). Using Allen's movies as source material for a new musical is my "never again" caveat.
PS: It's nice to see the frequency of Minchin's name appear in these posts.
Quite a few suggestions on here I hadn't thought of before but now would love to see! (I second Moonstruck, Babette's Feast, She Devil, Miss Congeniality, Hocus Pocus, and Dorian Gray (although there's not much of a plot there).
MadAboutTheBoy said: "Quite a few suggestions on here I hadn't thought of before but now would love to see! (I second Moonstruck, Babette's Feast, She Devil, Miss Congeniality, Hocus Pocus, and Dorian Gray (although there's not much of a plot there).
I would add the following:
"Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"
A musical version of "Prelude to a Kiss"
"
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a good one! I enjoyed the book and can see it translating well for stage.
I'm... glad? that so many people agree with the potential of "Clarissa." I think it could make an incredible, moving, twisted show, but definitely not one that would be fun to watch. I have zero history of sexual or parental trauma, but the comic still made me uneasy on a gut level. Which means it did its job, but still. Chuck Palahniuk has a monologue in one of his books about being "raped in the ear," being traumatized by the possibility and the accounts of rape until you are unable to look at people who have not harmed you without seeing the potential for harm there. "Clarissa" had that effect on me for a day or two after reading it.
This is going to sound so silly, but I would love to see a play adapted from Nina George's 'The Little Paris Bookshop.' Yes, the title sounds super saccharine, but it's such a charming story with wonderful characters. I could see it as a feel-good play. Here's the link to the synopsis for those curious! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23278537-the-little-paris-bookshop
"We're actors, we're the opposite of people!"
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead