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Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical — Page 2

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#27

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 5:39pm

a JRB adaptation of "American Beauty"?? I'm all for it. sounds excellent.

"The Hours" mentioned before would be incredibly interesting to do on stage, but I don't think any of the aforementioned should be in it. No one instantly comes to mind as the leading ladies who could pull it off, but. . .those don't really jive with me.

"Clue" would make a fun musical, I think.
But someone with Tim Curry's zaniness and perfect comic timing would have to play the butler.

Anyone want to try and tackle "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides?
a HUGE story but excellent.

Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" or perhaps "Rules of Attraction"?
The latter could be amazing. . .well, they both could, really.
whatever and ever amen - ben folds five
#28

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 5:42pm

jasonf, I agree that 1984 could make a greeat musical.

The fact Orwell's estate allowed an opera based on it to be produced is an encouraging sign.

EDIT: I see that it was at one point made into a musical. Thanks, children&art.

Updated On: 1/3/06 at 05:42 PM

#30

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 5:50pm

There was a LOTR musical here in LA last year--I think it's in Chicago now. It's histerical--it is a spoof of course, of both musicals and LOTR.

There's a great old movie called "Trouble in Paradise" that would make a great musical--unfortunately the plot line is similar to DRS.

I agree with "Dream Boy". "The Hours" could be interesting--so much of it is internal it would almost have to be an opera. Also, "The Time Traveler's Wife".
Yes, we do need a third vampire musical.--Little Sally, Gypsy of the Year 2005.
#32

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 6:21pm

jasonf, you have vote too for a Jason Robert Brown score to accompany "American Beauty" the musical. Now all we need is a librettist. re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical
"Everybody has a different idea of love. One girl I know said, 'I knew he loved me when he didn't come in my mouth.'" ~ Andy Warhol
#33

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 7:00pm

Sellevision with Kristin as Peggy and Idina as Bebe!

Just kidding - but it would sure as hell make an interesting musical.

Trial by Journal, by Kate Klise, would work really well onstage...

...as would John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces, as I've said before.

Updated On: 1/3/06 at 07:00 PM

#34

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 7:12pm

One of my favorite films of the 1930's:

Dodsworth

Stephen Cole has scored it and it had an out of town tryout in Texas in 1994. But...alas...it has apparently died.
"My dreams, watching me said, one to the other...this life has let us down."
#35

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 7:23pm

I don't think it would work as a musical but I would LOVE to see a stage production of "Stand By Me"
"You know just because you put a smiley face after it doesn't change the fact that it was an a-hole comment." ~ Sumofallthings
#36

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 7:47pm

I would say "The First Wives Club" but my prayers were answered and it's already under way.

Other's I would love to see:
"Moonstruck"
"The Life and Loves of a She-Devil"
"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde
#37

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 8:00pm

I like to run though an author's or a director's works and figure how they could be turned into stage musicals. The best properties are those with strong stories (as opposed to atmospheric or meditative books/movies) with interesting character interaction and some compassion. Ironic,post-modern views of humanity rarely fly.
Some stories are almost too intense even as a serious musical play and would be better as operas. But even zany musical comedies need a grounding in coherence. (My only problem with DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS is that it achieves neither the cartoony insanity of THE PRODUCERS nor a reason to care about what happens to these "scoundrels.") (But Yazbeck's music is so good, all is forgiven..LOL)
I need to think about this and come up with some potential stories for viable adaptation!
Mark
#38

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 8:05pm

I would LOVE to see Jason Robert Brown do "American Beauty"
So add my vote in there.

I would also like to see a musical of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind".
I think that would be very interesting and has the potential to be very good.

Updated On: 1/3/06 at 08:05 PM

#39

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 8:09pm

Wow, had no idea that American Beauty idea would be so popular! I've been brewing that one for a while -- I hope you're reading this JRB!!!

I didn't know that 1984 actually WAS done as a musical - anyone see it?

I actually think When Harry Met Sally could be done as a fairly good musical - maybe someone like David Yazbeck doing the score (he's already done two other movie-comedies...)

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.
#40

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 9:46pm

I work in an indie bookstore where it's just me and one other guy, and one of the sections I'm over is the Children's Literature. I was completely blown away by a novel called The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson. I thought I'd just read a chapter or two before bed, and ended up reading until well past sunrise to finish the book. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking what a beautiful musical it would be - especially if you could reunite the Secret Garden creative team.
And no one grew into anything new, we just became the worst of what we were."
#42

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 9:50pm

Damon Runyon's "Lady For A Day" (Jerry Herman, please do the score!)

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE starring Angela Lansbury, Carol Channing and Eric McCormack

(Yes, Anna Karenina HAS been musicalized. It was ghastly)
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#43

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 11:26pm

"ARSENIC AND OLD LACE starring Angela Lansbury, Carol Channing and Eric McCormack"

There already is a musical version of the play, I've heard it's very bad, but if you cast those three in a revival it would be very good.

"Everybody has a different idea of love. One girl I know said, 'I knew he loved me when he didn't come in my mouth.'" ~ Andy Warhol
#45

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/3/06 at 11:50pm

I second Pleasantville and First Wives Club. (When is the latter supposed to be debuted? Is Marc Shaiman overseeing this one?)
"It's not always about you!!!" (But if you think I'm referring to you anyway, then I probably am.)

"Good luck returning my ass!" - Wilhemina Slater

"This is my breakfast, lunch and f***ing dinner right here. I'm not even f***in' joking." - Colin Farrell
#46

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/4/06 at 12:02am

I was actually working on a musical send up of "The First Wives Club" but it never got finished. Mine started with the funeral with a number called "You don't say!". I had a great song for Brenda in the second act and put even more hilarious parts in for Gunilla Garson Goldberg and Shelly too. The funniest part I had written was a song called "Munique's Mother" - Maybe I can still use it for something.
"It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance." - Elizabeth Taylor
#47

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/4/06 at 12:16am

JRB doing American Beauty - what a great idea. And as for a librettist, Alan Ball should write it.

Other Movies:
- As good as it gets
- I would really like to see a heartwrenching movie like Hotel Rwanda be musicalized.
- A League of their own
#50

re: Books or Movies you'd like to see adapted to a Broadway Musical

Posted: 1/4/06 at 12:53am

And there is a lot of "Sorry Musicals" that make it to broadway and run as well, Some really sorry ones run for YEARS too. Just a fact.
"It is bad enough that people are dying of AIDS, but no one should die of ignorance." - Elizabeth Taylor

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