Big Fish- The Musical

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:21pm

Stro and Lippa? Quite a team.We'll add this to the list of next season's shows.

Any casting suggestions?

[Fan2]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:24pm

Playbill.com reports that Hugh Jackman took part in a reading earlier this year.

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 9:45pm

Does every movie have to be a musical? Sorry, I just find in the coming years nothing will be new or original.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:05pm

My least favorite Tim Burton musical. And why does a mediocre composer like Andrew Lippa get to write it? It's perhaps unfair to judge him on just Addams and Wild Party, but still. I'm just jealous, but I really feel like there are plenty of more-talented composers out there, but where are they?

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:06pm

Steel Pier Fan:
Some of our best musicals have been based off of movies: A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity, Carnival, The Full Monty, 42nd Street, Grey Gardens, and Promises Promises to name a few.

Some of our worst musicals have been new and original: In My Life, Merlin, Starmites, Jennie, Marilyn, The Pirate Queen, Mail, Hot Feet, and Baby It's You to just name a few others.

Where it comes from doesn't matter. If it's given to talented people and the source material is strong, there are endless possibilities for a great musical. And the truth is, is that the "original" Broadway musical is a rare species. Most musicals for the past 80 years have been based on SOMETHING (Play, book, album, life story). But since you seem keen on knowing that the "original" Broadway musical is alive and well, think about this: in the last 7 years, we've seen The Drowsy Chaperone, The Book of Mormon, Caroline or Change, Avenue Q, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Fela, The Scottsboro Boys, Curtains, Next to Normal, In the Heights, and Passing Strange. That's only including the decent to great original musicals (there are countless other fair to terrible original musicals that have premiered in the last 7 years).

The Broadway musical is fine.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:18pm

Also, Jay: Some worthy modern musical theatre composers are Adam Guettel, Jeanine Tesori, David Yazbek, William Finn, Marc Shaiman, Robert Lopez, Maury Yeston, and Scott Frankel. I would've loved to see what Tesori, Frankel or Shaiman could've done with Big Fish.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:25pm

I was excited until I saw Lippa's name.

[massofmen]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:25pm

this is a horrible idea, and lets not forget that the "brilliant' ms stroman also directed Young Frankenstein and Happiness...

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:27pm

She also directed The Scottsboro Boys and I think that alone should confirm her status as "brilliant."

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:28pm

For the faults thats the Young Frankenstein you can't say that didn't look good. Esp the big dance numbers.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:33pm

Susan Stroman has proven that she is talented and very smart as a director and a choreographer. When someone has done a string of wonderful work and proves their talent again this season, do we have to hold onto their less successful works when remembering them? Yes, her track record isn't perfect. Neither was Michael Bennett's, Gower Champion's, Hal Prince's or Tommy Tune's.

While I'm not too excited about Andrew Lippa and am concerned that his score will be far too pop-y for this show, I'm excited to see what Stroman does with the piece. Who knows? Maybe she'll be able to get a great score out of Lippa. Ok, I'll settle for a decent one.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 6/8/11 at 11:38pm

So long as the final product is good, do you really care about what the source material is? As wickedfan pointed out, many of our great classic musicals have been based on movies, so what?
Let's not forget adding Hairspray and Chicago to the list. Chicago had two film versions based on the same play long before Kander and Ebb got around to it.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:14am

The blonde leading the bland.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 4:20am

The film was forgettable, so many other choices for films to be turned into musicals.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 4:21am

The film was forgettable, so many other choices for films to be turned into musicals.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 4:24am

The film was forgettable, so many other choices for films to be turned into musicals.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 4:28am

I think you are in the minority finding the film forgettable. It may not have drawn a whole lot of attention when it was released, but the legs it has had are incredible.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 5:40am

wickedfan you're on fire today!

I have always thought this would make a first rate musical. And I agree that Stroman has proven herself a more reliable director than many others, with real vision for interesting material.

Not thrilled about the composer- perhaps the producers got muddled up with the other Wild Party- now La Chiusa would have been an interesting choice!

[massofmen]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 9:13am

its amazing that with good material like KANDER AND EBB ms stroman did a good job! and with average material like happiness and yf she did a horrible job.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 10:56am

Well, okay, I guess, BIG FISH as a musical. I just remember sitting there at the movie wondering why Billy Crudup was so mad at Albert Finney, who seemed like a hell of a guy to me, at least. Maybe they'll fix that problem onstage.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:21pm

I have a feeling this show will mark Hugh Jackman's long-awaited (by me and many others) return to Broadway. I chatted with him during his one-man show run in San Francisco last month. He sounded very enthusiastic about the prospect of BIG FISH. I do hope this happens!

[Steel Pier Fan]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:34pm

wickedfan- I know that some of the greatest musicals have been based off movies but I mean in threads about an actor, director, producer or anything there are a ton of mentions about musical adaptation of movies. Some of the movies sucked so I don't get why they are doing them. I'm also not a fan of Big Fish so I guess I'm bitter another movie isn't being adapted. Bad mood and this is my rant for the day. :)

[baritonepride]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 12:43pm

Stroman is great - looking forward to that part. But a Lippa score? Took a whole lot of excitement out of me. Look forward to a completely bland, forgettable score from Lippa (does the man do any other types of scores)?

[Paul Bland4]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 1:27pm

I became interested in Lippa's work after hearing the new song he wrote for YAGMCB. I like bits and pieces of TWP.

I had high hopes for AF, strictly out of optimism. NEVER has a CD departed my regular playlist faster.

I don't think BF is a bad idea. I think it may be better suited to cinema, or perhaps I just particularly remember the imagery of the movie fondly.

I am far from the one to say Lippa was/is the worst choice. I will remain guarded and skeptical. This is your last chance, Andrew. Impress me, for the love of God.

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 6/9/11 at 2:32pm

When you have Tim Burton as your source material, I for one would be most excited about the scenic design, costumes and lighting.

But yes, a great score/book/lyrics is also a must.