How soon before we have a reality show on Broadway?

Sounds crazy, doesn't it?

I was reading Mr Roxy's thread "Musicals You Do Not Want A Movie On" and thinking in this day and age -- when cartoons (e.g., "The Lion King") and SNL sketches (e.g., "You're Welcome America") are turned into Broadway "shows" -- just how far outside the box could you go?

So, how would you do a reality show for theater?

Would you cast actors or regular folk, so to speak?

If you cast stage actors, would you have them "performing" as themselves, or creating characters, or doing both. I suppose it could be totally improvisational.

Or how about a reality show about the actors preparing for an actual play? That is, turn the rehearsals into a reality show.

Or what if audience members were invited on stage to interact with the actors?

Or what if you just create an "American Idol" type of show, where all the roles are cast with professional actors except for one ... which would go to the winner of a competition. That competition -- where contestants would act with the professionals and then be judged -- would be your show.

Updated On: 7/11/09 at 02:22 PM

There was already 2 Broadway reality shows. One for Grease & one Legally Blonde. The UK has had like 5 of them for the West End.

American Idol the Musical

Starring William Hung

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There are many reasons for me to run screaming from the theater district. This would be the biggest one.

Dear God..we've had enough of reality (read:FAKE) tv. Please stay away from Broadway. Thank you.

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Couldn't A Chorus Line technically be considered a reality show? I mean the stories are essentially based on true life...so in that respect it's already been done.

"Or how about a reality show about the actors preparing for an actual play? That is, turn the rehearsals into a reality show."

Grease and Legally Blonde have already used the reality show concept for casting; you have royalty issues to deal with when it comes to rehersals. It would require major cobncessions from copyright holders as well as the various theatrical unions.

"Or what if audience members were invited on stage to interact with the actors?"

They did that with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

You've already had a musical based off of a reality show. I believe it was called IDOL? It was off-Broadway one or two seasons ago.

There's been musicals based off of films (Catch Me If You Can, Thoroughly Modern Millie, et al); documentaries (Grey Gardens); TV shows (Addams Family, Little House of the Prairie, Happy Days); comics (You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Spider-Man); tabloids (Bat Boy); novels (Jane Eyre, Les Miserables, Little Women); etc. etc. etc. Basing a musical off of a reality show isn't far-fetched at all.

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Heidi Blickenstaff used to describe [title of show] as a "reality musical." I suppose because it attempted to capture the creative process, behind the scenes, moment by moment. It also attempted to appear "unscripted." . . . I don't know if it was successful in that regard or not.