Historical Figures Made into Musicals

#1

Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:13am

The Elisabeth thread got me to wonder, what other historical figures has been made into a musical? also, what historical figure would you like to see made into a musical? Personally, mary antoinette would be an interesting musical.

#2

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:17am

Here are a few musicals about historical figures...

EVITA
FIORELLO
1776 (Had a whole cast full of historical figures)
TITANIC (?)

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Itty Bitty Geisha? Toyland? Gypsy Pasadoble? Just a few popular favorites...

#3

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:48am

The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
The Boy from Oz.

#4

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:53am

...I don't know if Peter Allen quite makes the grade as a "historical" figure.

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BLAH BLAH BLAH

#5

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:16am

Ben Franklin in Paris
Pippin
Coco
Fiorello
The King and I
The Sound of Music
Rex
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Goodtime Charley
George M

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"Love Life. Live." Michael Bennett

#6

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:48am

Mozart
Lincoln (well, as much as he's a constant reference in "Reunion")


It would be cool to see a musical on Bismarck or Frederick the Great.

#7

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:54am

A new musical is being developed in Chicago:

The Teapot Scandals of 1923

It is a musical vaudeville based on the Warren Harding Administration, set two seeks after his death.

I've heard the music and it's hysterical!!

#8

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:57am

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.

#9

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:59am

The whole cast of ASSASSINS.

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I stand corrected, you are as vapid as they say.

#10

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:12am

Young Abe Lincoln
Teddy and Alice
Elizabeth and Essex
Wallis (three musicals!)
Jimmy (Walker)
Her First Roman (Caesar & Cleopatra)
Nefertiti
Kean
Belle Starr
Hello Suckers! (Texas Guinan)
Annie Get Your Gun

#11

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:55am

Half the characters in Ragtime
Floyd Collins
FDR in Annie

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"I know what the sunlight can be"

Updated On: 4/22/05 at 10:55 AM

#12

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:12am

Martin Guerre

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"When you're a Jet, / You're a Jet all the way, / From your first pirouette / To your last grand jete." --Brian Kaman

#13

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 11:15am

Princess Diana

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"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#14

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 12:24pm

---i loved 1776.

#15

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 12:47pm

Napoleon

A totally horrid Canadian musical that totally flopped....and I was one of the fools who paid money to see it......(and probably the only person in California to own the cast recording, lol)

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It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story... AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956

#16

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 3:23pm

Ummm....Dracula?? Nah, he was fake.

#17

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 3:36pm

"Ummm....Dracula?? Nah, he was fake."

The idea of Dracula (the Bram Stroker version) is from a real person, Vlad the Impaler. Word has it he was a cannibal.

#18

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:05pm

A really obscure musical called "Brigham" with Harve Presnell as Brigham Young commissioned by the mormons. I may still have the LP. I have to check

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Poster Emeritus

#19

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:16pm

I love that Anne L. Nathan played Emma Goldman in Assassins and was the understudy for Emma Goldman in Ragtime.

#20

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:19pm

Mack Sennett - Mack & Mabel
W C Fields - W.C.
Mike Todd - Ain't Broadway Grand

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Poster Emeritus

#21

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 6:35pm

Chicago, if you consider Roxie Hart to be a historical figure

#22

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 8:17pm

I think Roxie's real name was Beulah Annan.

#23

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:30pm

There was a musical done in Chicago in the early 1980's called ONE SHINING MOMENT, about JFK . The concept of the show was that a group of college kids were putting on a show as a school project. The cast included the following future stars, who were all in their early 20's at the time:

Kevin Anderson as JFK
Megan Mullaly as Jackie
Alan Ruck as LBJ

#24

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:50pm

PARADE-Leo and Lucille Frank and the Mary Phagan rape and murder trial (considered, at the time, The Trial of the Century).

The character of Burrs in THE WILD PARTY is loosely based on Fatty Arbuckle.

#25

re: Historical Figures Made into Musicals

Posted: 4/22/05 at 10:25pm

Lennon Anyone?

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CAGES OR WINGS? WHICH DO YOU PREFER? ASK THE BIRDS. FEAR OR LOVE, BABY? DON'T SAY THE ANSWER, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.