Gone With the Wind Musical

[Fan2]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:45pm

(Plus a note on Dreamgirls)

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,253818,00.html

>Hugh Jackman Eyed for 'Gone With the Wind' Broadway Role
Thursday, February 22, 2007
By Roger Friedman

'Gone With the Wind' Remake; 'Dreamgirls' Lawsuit Avoided; Pre-Oscar Partying; Hollywood Swinging

'Gone With the Wind' Musical Coming

Get ready: A musical based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel “Gone with the Wind” is being prepared for Broadway.

I’m told that a group of producers have secured the rights from the Mitchell estate and are proceeding toward a 2008 production. The big desired star to play Rhett Butler: Hugh Jackman.

I’m also told that producers are interested in Jill Pace, an American actress who co-starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Woman in White,” to play Scarlett O’Hara. Pace, a popular up-and-comer, is said to resemble Vivien Leigh. The show would have its birth in London’s West End.

As it’s planned now, this version of “Gone with the Wind” will adhere to the novel more than the well-known film, still considered the all-time box office champ based on adjusted figures from 1939.

That means that this “GWTW” will be a little darker than remembered, with the story told through the eyes of the slaves at Tara.

“If you remember, Scarlett is really left with the slaves, and they become her family,” a production insider says. “That will be more of the emphasis of the story, with Rhett more of a darker, more complicated character.”

“Gone with the Wind” has somehow avoided being turned into a musical all these many years. There have been parodies — think Carol Burnett — and recently a play about the casting of the movie, but until now the Mitchell estate has never allowed this prized possession to be set to music.<<<

Click the link above for more.

[D2]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:46pm

"but until now the Mitchell estate has never allowed this prized possession to be set to music."

I think the Harold Rome estate will beg to differ.

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 03:46 PM

[kec]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:48pm

Ooops... sorry, Fan 2, we obviously posted at the same time.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:48pm

HAven't there been some Musiclaizations done in the past-IIRC a Japanese production was done.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:53pm

"...with the story told through the eyes of the slaves at Tara."

That is just painful.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:20pm

"Scarlett" was the Japanese production.

Hey, Fox isnt always the most accurate.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:42pm

"but until now the Mitchell estate has never allowed this prized possession to be set to music"

Not true ... there was a musical version of GWTW (using the same title) in London back in the 70s I believe. I have the original cast album.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:53pm

There have been two musical versions of it, and a ballet. I wish they'd bring back the tacky 70s musical version of it. I want to hear Lilias White sing "Bonnie Gone!"

[WalkOn]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:55pm

BONNIE GONE
BONNIE DONE GONE
BONNIE, BONNIE GONE!!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:12pm

"Told through the eyes of the slaves.." - I just read that part. Honey, that is not the way the book is. Who wrote this article? Must be drunk or a yankee...

[thtrbear]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:27pm

That was funny about the Rome estate begging to differ.

Are there really 2 prior musical versions? Or did the poster who said that think that Scarlett and London's GWTW were different? (No offense meant if there really are 2 prior musicals)

Wouldn't it be funny if the people they hired now, went away for a few months and then turned in the Harold Rome musical? (Book by Horton Foote?) You could only do that for a while though...

[WalkOn]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:28pm

..."told through the eyes of the slaves" is wrong on so many levels..unless they are doing a musical of the novella THE WIND DONE GONE by Alice Randall...thats a different matter!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:30pm

There is the Harold Rome version from the 70s and a few years ago a horrifying French pop opera version with all the women wearing inappropriate off the shoulder period dresses.

[lildogs]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:32pm

Bonnie Done Gone? Wow.

That sounds fun, MB--who doesn't love inappropriate period costume?

[Fontybell]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:38pm

There is NO ONE NO ONE NO ONE who should be playing Scarlett other than the absolutely perfect for that role HAVILAND STILLWELL.

www.havilandstillwell.com - check this out. Seriously.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:39pm

The Harold Rome version is a guilty pleasure of mine. About a thousand years ago I worked at the Music Center. The archivists knew I was obsessed with GWTW, so they gave me an old press kit.

In the program Pernell Roberts used his bio space to have a poem about world peace printed.

In Lesley Ann Warren's bio she was STILL complaining about her parents not letting her go on the first national tour of BYE BYE BIRDIE.

Updated On: 2/23/07 at 05:39 PM

[D2]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:41pm

In addition to Harold Rome's version and the French opera, Leroy Anderson attempted to musicalize it, in 1961, only getting as far as setting 3 numbers.

[EDIT] Tried to post the link but it didn't work:
http://www.answers.com/topic/gone-with-the-wind-musical-unfinished-3-numbers-extant

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 05:41 PM

[mrcacou]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:59pm

We were unlucky to have a muical version of GWTW here in Paris about three years ago. It was just painful to watch even if some musics were great. In here we call it "Autant en emporte le vent". The guy who wrote it is well known over here for having written Romeo & Juliette and letting his daughter play the part of Scarlett.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 6:07pm

"Autant en emporte le vent" has to be seen to be believed - and you know which site I'm talking about. You never know they could work a disco ball and breakdancing into Margaret Mitchell's story, but leave it to the French...

[mrcacou]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 6:12pm

the songs by the slaves are great but what is left is just painful to hear. And once again in those productions we had no orchestra but a recording that was so loud I could not understand what they were singing.

[thtrbear]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 6:26pm

Wanna trade theater unions with New York? Please?

[Jovie24]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:36pm

YOu have the original cast album? How did you get it and where can I find it? I know Robert Nichols who I beleiver was on a version, don't know which one!

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 07:36 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:39pm

This is such a case of the horse leading the cart. They already have a general production date and yet it appears they haven't chosen writers yet. It reminds of that line from Song and Dance:
"Careers are being hyped before the scripts are typed".
With this kind of a start the camp value ought to be through the roof!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:54pm

The OLC was released on LP back in the 70s, and the Japanese version "Scarlett" had at least a brief CD life by DRG, I think.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:57pm

The London Version screams for a CD release

It is not half bad