Almost Famous Musical in the Works From Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt

[schubox]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 11:41am

http://www.playbill.com/article/almost-famous-musical-in-the-works-from-cameron-crowe-and-tom-kitt

”

Next to Normal Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt will compose the score for a new musical based on the 2000 Cameron Crowe film Almost Famous. Crowe, who will pen the book based on his Oscar-winning screenplay, will also co-write the lyrics with Kitt. Jeremy Herrin (People, Places and Things) has been tapped to direct.

The producing team consists of Lia Vollack on behalf of Columbia Live Stage, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, and John Johnson.

The semi-autobiographical film, starring Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, and Frances McDormand, charts the coming-of-age of a 15-year-old music fan named William who lands a Rolling Stone assignment.

No word yet on a production timeline or casting for the musical adaptation.

Crowe previously teased the musical with this video of Kitt at the piano, panning through a variety of notes and outlines:”

Updated On: 9/25/18 at 11:41 AM

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 11:54am

I love Almost Famous, and I always figured a musical version would be a jukebox musical, but I'm really interested to see how this goes down.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 12:08pm

I'm not sure if this will work without the classic rock music from the film. Yes, I know the music of "Stillwater" was original music written for the film, but we all know it was the soundtrack full of known songs was what people really remember of the music from that film. Without that, I don't know if this story will have the same impact.

Updated On: 9/25/18 at 12:08 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 12:10pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "I'm not sure if this will work without the classic rock music from the film. Yes, I know the music of "Stillwater" was original music written for the film, but we all know it was the soundtrack full of known songs was what people really remember of the music from that film. Without that, I don't know if this story will have the same impact."

Agreed. Anything Kitt writes (and I am a fan) will not be as good as the music in the movie.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 12:20pm

I think as long as they include important songs like “Tiny Dancer” that it should be fine.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 12:22pm

This should be interesting.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 12:34pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I think as long as they include important songs like “Tiny Dancer” that it should be fine."

I agree.  I can't imagine a production of it without Tiny Dancer.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 1:07pm

This ending credits scene is one of my favorites ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwVhUaxaFyU

It really felt like I went through a journey throughout that whole movie and this ending credits scene was perfect. In the days before YouTube/Spotify/Pandora where you can just easily access any song you want and me being a teenager hearing most of those classic songs for the first time, maybe it's unfair for me to project my initial experience with the movie back in 2000 to this musical. It's an unfair burden that the musical should not carry and it's definitely a "me" problem that I should work on. I'll do my best to give this show a fair shake, as I should with any show any way.

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 1:33pm

barcelona20 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "I think as long as they include important songs like “Tiny Dancer” that it should be fine."

I agree. I can't imagine a production of it without Tiny Dancer."

Or "Listen to Tommy with a candle burning and you will see your entire future."

The music is a character in this story. It's the reason why these characters do what they do. Telling it without that would be fatal. As much as I adore this movie (and Tom Kitt), I'm pretty skeptical. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 1:53pm

I'm just foreseeing it being the same issue that High Fidelity had where they took a story that had a very specific soundtrack woven tightly into its fabric and expected it to hold up when they pulled that thread out.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 1:58pm

The more I think about it, other songs like “America”, “Mona Lisa’s and Mad Hatters” & “My Cherie Amour” are just so important to the piece, it’s almost impossible to think of ALMOST FAMOUS without them.

[PABELL4]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 2:05pm

Looks Like Patti Murin may be dropping a casting clue - check out her tweet.

 

[Elegance101]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 2:16pm

PABELL4 said: "Looks Like Patti Murin may be dropping a casting clue - check out her tweet.

"

Can you post it for those of us without a Twitter?

[PABELL4]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 2:25pm

https://twitter.com/pattimurin/status/1044600022300528640?s=21

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 2:38pm

One issue I can see happening if they mix preexisting songs with an original score is that in many shows where they do that (outside Disney ones and even then it's only like The Lion King), it invites a comparison between the original score and the preexisting songs that people already love. Most people come away from the theatre humming or reminiscing about the famous songs and thus the original score is seen as forgettable or not of the same quality. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 3:05pm

By the time this premieres in the early 2020s, the 1960s/early 1970s rock and roll era will be as far back in time as the Ziegfeld production era was from the premiere of "Follies."

[Elegance101]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 3:14pm

PABELL4 said: "https://twitter.com/pattimurin/status/1044600022300528640?s=21"

That’s not really hinting at casting at all. Maybe she just loves the movie?

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 3:22pm

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this to actually happen. The producers have been co-producers a few times - always sharing that billing with others. If they haven't been able to raise their co-producer share on their own it will be an uphill climb to raise many times that on their own. Not saying it won't happen, but without an experienced producer on board, I think it's unlikely.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 3:34pm

darquegk said: "By the time this premieres in the early 2020s, the 1960s/early 1970s rock and roll era will be as far back in time as the Ziegfeld production era was from the premiere of "Follies.""

Christ, that’s depressing.  

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 6:03pm

Loved the movie, if they do make it a musical hope they keep the airplane scene which was priceless - lol.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 9/25/18 at 6:48pm

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for this to actually happen. The producers have been co-producers a few times - always sharing that billing with others. If they haven't been able to raise their co-producer share on their own it will be an uphill climb to raise many times that on their own. Not saying it won't happen, but without an experienced producer on board, I think it's unlikely."


Between them they've been the lead producers on Groundhog Day, Meteor Shower, Gentleman's Guide, Bright Star, Vanya & Sonia, End of Rainbow, and general manager for all Scott Rudin's recent stuff. And one of the entities is a movie studio that could probably bankroll the production of it wanted to. That's a much better track record than the lead producers had for Dear Evan Hansen, Band's Visit, Come From Away, and Be More Chill. (Though they're also the CRAZY FOR YOU people, so I see the point you're trying to make.)

Updated On: 9/25/18 at 06:48 PM

[sethepstein12]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 1:44pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Colin-Donnell-Drew-Gehling-Anika-Larsen-to-Lead-ALMOST-FAMOUS-at-Old-Globe-20190801

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 1:46pm

Great cast!! I wonder if this will transfer this or next season.

[little_sally]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 1:48pm

This is my favorite movie and I think this cast is underwhelming. 

[sethepstein12]

Posted: 8/1/19 at 1:58pm

little_sally said: "This is my favorite movie and I think this cast is underwhelming."

Solea Pfeiffer is INCREDIBLE