Yes, it's based on the Steve Martin film from 1992. The book was written by the screenwriter along with Glenn Slater, who wrote the lyrics, and the score is by Alan Menken, who I pretty much regard as a god among men. The basic story is the same, but one of the subplots has been cut, some other minor changes have been made, and the result is, IMO, a huge improvement on the film. I didn't care for the movie and was unsure after seeing it as to why anyone felt the need to turn it into a musical, but once I saw it, I realized why. Along with the plot changes, the story just works so much better as a musical. The score is the strongest part of the show (and neither of the demos I have heard really shows it off properly, IMO), but Raul's performance is really the heart and soul of the whole thing. Like I said, I'm already willing to go out there and say it's his best work since Company. I'm really sad that I can't get out to LA to see it full-scale. The scheduling is just impossible for me, but hopefully all will go well and it'll finally get to Broadway this year.
A work of art is an invitation to love.
Updated On: 6/8/10 at 10:47 AM