Clueless Musical

[theateraddiction]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 11:01am

I'm sure there is already a thread on this, but I could not find it anywhere, so I'm starting a new one! I've always thought Clueless would make a great musical, so I'm excited to hear they are continuing to work on it. However, I'm surprised because I am currently reading The Secret Life of the American Musical (brilliant book, FYI), in which Jack Viertel says that he had been working on the show and they had decided it could not be adapted into a musical because because Cher had no driving desire at the beginning of the story. I suppose they decided it didn't matter. Also, if I remember correctly, Tina Landau had been attached to the show in 2009. She is obviously busy with SpongeBob right now, but do we think there is a chance she may come back on board?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 11:26am

This is completely dead as of now.  I know people who worked on it.  The teen genre on broadway is just not marketable. Legally Blonde failed, Heathers failed, Clueless was abandoned, Jawbreaker had several readings and even though producers liked it, they all concluded that the market had no interest in the genre.  The people who actually pay money for things like premium tickets just won't buy tickets to those teen-centric musicals.

[playbill-love]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 4:44pm

Actually, there was just a workshop of this last week with Taylor Louderman as Cher and Wesley Taylor in the Paul Rudd stepbrother role.

Updated On: 5/11/16 at 04:44 PM

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 4:58pm

I thought Wesley Taylor was Christian, no?

[InnerMonologue]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 5:03pm

I believe Dave Thomas Brown was playing Christian in the recent reading.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 6:05pm

Wasn't Stephen Trask doing the score? And now it's a jukebox (gross)

[Alessio2]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 6:15pm

I hate the idea of this as a jukebox musical. What a wasted opportunity if this is the case.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 8:24pm

No, Wesley was playing Christian in the most recent reading.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 8:39pm

standingovation79 said: "This is completely dead as of now.  I know people who worked on it.  The teen genre on broadway is just not marketable. Legally Blonde failed, Heathers failed, Clueless was abandoned, Jawbreaker had several readings and even though producers liked it, they all concluded that the market had no interest in the genre.  The people who actually pay money for things like premium tickets just won't buy tickets to those teen-centric musicals.

If this is true then why would they be bothering with Mean Girls?  That would seem to me a teen-centric musical and yet it appeals to me anyways.  

"

 

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 8:49pm

Well, we'll see if it works, you know.  Mean Girls is a bit more current and has Tina Fey, one of the most en vogue comedy writers of the moment so it definitely could work....they will use her in the marketing to sell it of course.  I'm not saying I think it's a bad idea at all, I'm just saying the genre doesn't have the greatest track record.  And producers have passed on other teen stories as musicals even thought the music and readings were good.

I had no idea the Clueless musical was still happening. I'd heard it wasn't working. But I have to say, if ever there was a teen musical that I wouldn't mind being a jukebox this is it.  It's just so synonymous with the 90's that that music could really work with it.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 5/11/16 at 11:13pm

Alessio2 said: "I hate the idea of this as a jukebox musical. What a wasted opportunity if this is the case.

 

"

If a jukebox version will make this "unmarketable" show a marketable one, I promise you they'll go for it. I wouldn't call it a wasted opportunity at all, as I can see this being fantastic if done correctly.