HUGH JACKMAN on Broadway again?!?!?

[carolineorchange]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 9:38am

So our boy Hugh is going to be back on BWay again in a stage musical version of A Star is Born? Kind of awesome...
Ny Post

[nmartin]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 9:41am

I don't know why he would accept a secondary role.
I loved the article though, especially Larry Gelbart.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:15am

It isn't a secondary role - it is the principal male role but the story belongs to the female lead. It could be that he doesn't want to have the whole show resting on his shoulders, as was apparently the case with BOY FROM OZ. Still, he gets the most dramatic scenes - full of pathos.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:20am

Even though he is the principal male role, I would say it is still secondary to Esther--at least if it follows the movie version at all.

I would be very excited to see this happen. If it happens well...
Updated On: 5/2/08 at 10:20 AM

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:28am

How wonderful would it have been to have a movie version of City Of Angels?

Updated On: 5/2/08 at 10:28 AM

[nmartin]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:28am

Landry, I agree and that's what I meant.
It reminded me of Streisand going to Elvis to see if he would accept the role in her remake. He said, "No. It's the girl's story."

[Fan2]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:41am

Hugh did a video interview the other day and the interviewer asked him about doing more musicals on stage/films and he responded along the lines that he gives himself a five-year window for stage musicals since it's so demanding with the physicality and muscles involved singing and dancing eight times a week, if you leave it too long it's too tempting not to go back, and his five years is just about up. He said he's "pretty much due" and he was looking at some stuff now.

He was also asked if it was TV, stage, or film, and he said he was looking at some films, but he was waiting for the right project - he said if a film musical is done right it's the greatest piece of scenery to pull off, and he also said it was the hardest to pull off. He said if it wasn't done right, "nothing is smellier than a bad musical." He also said he was very careful about it and was just waiting for the right one.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:27pm

"Nothing is smellier than a bad musical"

I didn't know he saw CRYBABY.

The part of Mr. Norman Maine is not the first I think of for him, but anything to get him back on the Boards.
I'd still rather see him in Pal Joey.

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:47pm

I can't believe they weren't trying to get him for something in the Encores summer series. That would've been a perfect opportunity that didn't take up too much of his movie shooting time, especially with the possibility of a strike looming on the horizon for SAG.

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:55pm

"I'd still rather see him in Pal Joey. "

So would Pal Joey.

[Fan2]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 1:05pm

He finishes filming "Wolverine" in June and it was recently announced that he's filming James Sallis' "Drive" this summer "if his schedule permits" which leads me to believe something else may come up, also because one of the articles on that movie said something about he could drop out of it (but he is producing it). But as soon as fall rolls around I'm sure he's going to be into heavy promotion for Baz Luhrmann's "Australia" which comes out on November 14 and is rumored to be Oscar-worthy.
Updated On: 5/2/08 at 01:05 PM

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 1:42pm

I don't care what the piece is, I'd just like to see him back on Broadway.

I would pay to see him in anything. The man has such presence that he made "The Boy From Oz" thrilling. That's saying something.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 2:12pm

Rosco I have been saying forever that Jackman needs to play Stone. It would be incredible.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 2:17pm

Yes, he would be AMAZING as Stone.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 9:43pm

Anything with him in it would bring back to Broadway a charisma that hasnt been seen in years!

[jo]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:37pm

His name has been linked to so many stage musicals projects in the last few years -- Other than Pal Joey and Stop the World (it was Gerry Schoenfeld himself who was supposedly persuading him to do the Newley revival), there were Menken's forthcoming Leap of Faith, Brooks's Young Frankenstein, Nunn's Gone with the Wind, even the transfer of Sunday in the Park ( the current lead said that the producers originally wanted Hugh for the transfer) and there was even some buzz in London that ALWebber wanted him for Phantom 2. This could be another one of those :rolleyes:

But I'd certainly want him in a musical project soon ( movies or stage)!

I saw CITY OF ANGELS with the original cast on Broadway -- that would make an interesting movie musical!

[brettystar]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 11:08pm

He was a great Joe in Sunset Boulevard so I would like to see him make that film quick sticks before he gets too old.

Not sure who I would want to cast alongside him as Norma though - suggestions?

[sally1112]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 11:24pm

I too just really hope this happens.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 5/3/08 at 7:55am

Back in the late 80s Lloyd Webber had started work on a stage version of 'A Star Is Born' for staging in London's West End. He then abandoned it to put all his time in to 'Sunset'!

[SMiller]

Posted: 5/3/08 at 3:48pm

Sounds interesting but Jonathan Butterall? There are so many better choices and options.

SMiller

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/3/08 at 4:54pm

Jackman is a smart actor. I doubt he'd not take a part because he isn't center stage the entire time. His character is quite complex and I'd love to see him in a great role in a great show rather than, as was the case in Oz, a great role in a BAD show.

Michael John LaChiusa is musical supervisor and writing the book? Swoon!

[jo]

Posted: 5/3/08 at 9:51pm

Jonathan Butterell has done more varied work than what has been seen in New York. His London background includes some work in classical theatre and a few of Sondheim's musicals. And one of his most innovative was conceptualizing Michael Ball's most applauded work, ALONE TOGETHER ( telling the story of a performer in song, all 50-or-so full, half- and bits of songs -- an amazing songbook from Al Jolson to Gershwin to John Lennon to Rodgers & Hammerstein to Edith Piaf to Stephen Sondheim to Adam Guettel and to many other composer legends).

http://www.americantheatrewing.org/biography/detail/jonathan_butterell


" JONATHAN BUTTERELL New York: The Light in the Piazza (musical staging); Nine (choreography), Assassins (musical Staging); Fiddler on the Roof, Wise Guys and Electra starring Zoe Wanamaker. London: Nine, Company (West End), Into the Woods (co-director). Devised and directed Michael Ball in Alone Together (Donmar & Haymarket, West End). West End: Passion. Associate Director: Othello (Royal National Theatre); Hamlet (RSC). Co-directed Peter Pan (Royal Festival Hall), Sweeney Todd (Opera North and Saddler's Wells). Directed Orpheus Descending and Creditors at Theatre Project Tokyo. Film: Finding Neverland and Stay.

Bio as of October, 2005."

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 5/3/08 at 11:34pm

Brettystar, who did you see as Norma?
Did you get to witness the trainwreck that was Debra?

[DidYouReallyHearMe]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:43am

I am very excited to see this!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:58am

I just find it funny that Hugh Jackman claims to know the difference between a good and bad musical. The Boy From Oz was only good because of him and I'm sure I needn't mention Sunset Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast.