FREAKY FRIDAY the musical

[Almira]

Posted: 3/17/11 at 9:17pm

All this talk of bringing FREAKY FRIDAY to Broadway as a musical got me to thinking... didn't Mary Rodgers (the original author and daughter of Richard, mother of Adam Guettel) attempt to musicalize her novel?

Or am I confusing it with her abandoned attempt at turning MEMBER OF THE WEDDING into a musical?

[Glitter and be Gay]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 12:01am

Yes she did, and judging by the song on the Unsung Musicals III CD it's just as well. It's called "At the Same Time" and has lyrics such as "Can you think he's ducky, but kind of sucky at the same time? If you miss him every time he goes, but still want to punch him in the nose - that shows! You can love someone and hate someone at the same time."

And it just gets worse from there.

[Almira]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 9:47am

Thank you, Glitter!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 9:59am

More than attempted, her musical version of FREAKY FRIDAY toured for years with Theatreworks USA.

I take it this new adaptation will be based more or less on the most recent film remake (and is probalby being written on an eye for regional theatres - not a Broadway staging).

I wish they'd musicalized the 1976 Jodie Foster version if only because I'd like to see how they'd stage the water-skiing sequence. That could be Julie Taymor's big comeback.

[Almira]

Posted: 3/18/11 at 1:11pm

Had no idea about the Theatreworks tour. Thank you, Michael Bennett.

If they were to adapt the '71 film, I say someone hunt down Barbara Harris and couple her with your Taymor suggestion.

There would be a whole lot of talented-but-crazy on that stage!