Finn and Lapine Working on LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 1:15pm

I just saw on Montego Glover's website that she'll be participating in a reading on Friday of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE: The Musical, directed by James Lapine and featuring a score by William Finn.

Has anyone else heard anything about this? The quirky subject matter seems right up Finn's alley.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 1:52pm

Wow. This sounds (in theory) like a great idea and perfect pairing of artist(s) and source material. I miss SPELLING BEE...

[Elke]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 2:14pm

Yes, it's true and it sounds very interesting. At Broadway Jukebox last Sunday, Michael Winther said he is participating in this reading.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 2:15pm

Hm...could, maybe, possibly work.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 2:21pm

Being a big Finn fan, this material sounds like a perfect match for him. I hope this works out!

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 2:48pm

Richard Hoover: Norbert Leo Butz
Sheryl Hoover: Alice Ripley
Grandpa: John Cullum
Olive Hoover: Rachel Resheff
Dwayne Hoover: Jonathan B. Wright
Frank: Michael Berresse

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 3:12pm

Pirag- That's an amazing cast.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 3:29pm

I vote Toni Collette (sp?) reprises her role!!!

[Jon]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 3:49pm

Shows that depend on kids are awfully tricky.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 3:53pm

Aww only if Abigail Breslin could sing...

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 4:06pm

Though it would never happen, I would love the idea of Toni Collette reprising her role for this, if only to get her back to the stage. Plus she was kind of excellent in the film.

[timote316]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 4:11pm

Depending on timing, Collette probably wouldn't be available as US of Tara was picked up for a second season.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 4:27pm

NEW BILL FINN!!!

I don't care what the subject is, that is always great news.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 6:09pm

Oh god let it be true.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 6:16pm

When I first saw this fabulous movie I thought it would make a great piece of musical theatre. With a score by the genius that is William Finn this could be something really special.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 6:20pm

Really?

See, I don't find that there's much of an ARC in the story.

That's a matter of opinion but maybe others see what I'm saying.

Of course the climatic part of the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant is that ARC but it's kinda flat.

this movie has such an awesomely subtle tone to it that, I personally believe, would be hard to really portray on stage.

Am I talking crazy?? Finding it hard to convey my perception of "Sunshine"... such a great movie.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 6:24pm

I mean, Little Miss Sunshine has as much of an arc as Spelling Bee.

William Finn is brilliant when it comes to pieces that focus mainly on the characters involved and not on enormous plots.

I am thrilled to see something new from him.

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 6:53pm

I don't think I've heard of a better match when it comes to Composer/Librettist and Souce Material.

[killertofu333]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 8:03pm

This sounds very promising. Much like others, I too would be thrilled if Toni came back to the stage. It's such a wonderful piece of cinema that it just seems like a natural transition to musical theater.

[cglaid]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 9:08pm

What about Sami Gayle instead?
Updated On: 4/12/09 at 09:08 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 9:50pm

I actually don't think this movie would make a good musical at all. First of all, I think a road trip movie is really hard to transfer to the stage. Also, I really am against the recent trends to transfer popular recent films to the Broadway stage, because I think the film performances and story are so freshly kept in the audiences' minds than anything that is on stage comes off as an imitation (see THE WEDDING SINGER, LEGALLY BLONDE, SHREK, etc). Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, and Steve Carrell all did a brilliant job in creating these roles. Yes, I know the stage is a different monster, but I just don't see why anyone should tackle those parts so recently.
I guess I'll have to wait and see, but unless this adaptation is completely different from the film (in the same way that say A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and NINE are different from their film counterparts), I don't think there's a reason for the show to happen.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 10:07pm

Finn's shows are never conventional and always surprising, not to mention generally focused more on the characters themselves than the story arc. If there's any composer who can make this work, it's Finn.

[somuchtodo]

Posted: 3/29/09 at 4:21pm

Actually, the Olive Hoover role was played by Georgi James in the recent reading.
Updated On: 3/29/09 at 04:21 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/29/09 at 4:24pm

somuchtodo, do you know who else was in the cast?

I heard Carolee Carmello played the Toni Collette role.

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 3/29/09 at 4:40pm

Kelsey Fowley as Olive