Jagged Little Pill: The Musical? — Page 3

"Yes, but she IS forever identified.

So, the "tricky" part (as I originally said) will be to convince others that the mellower Morrissette material is just as interesting and relevant. It will be necessary in a stage musical with a storyline, too."

I see what you're saying. I think we weren't on the same page. Yes, she will always be identified with that one song that came out almost 20 years ago, even if that's not at all who she is or ever was. But I understand what you're saying. And I've heard her discuss anger and that perception in depth over the years, both in person and on TV/online. I think I've read and listened to every word that's come out of her mouth since 1995. There is honest to God no other artist that I love and respect more than her.

^ (to best12bars) you never said they made sense... but is that what we're arguing? Does the American public have that narrow a view of one incredibly successful album with six big hits (including Ironic... which ironically (sorry) was a bigger hit than You Outta Know) that they would immediately think that a musical created from "Jagged Little Pill" is actually more like "You Outta Know - the Musical"?

Updated On: 11/8/13 at 06:12 PM

Part of her genius with Ironic and the whimsical mood you mention is exactly what Burt Bacharach and Hal David did (believe it or not) with their pop hits in the '60s.

It's exactly what makes those songs so hard to stage theatrically.

You have Bacharach's breezy melodies set against David's bitter lyrics. If you don't have a singer who can balance the two (like Dionne), you are doomed. And god forbid you add "cute" or "slick" choreography to a song lyric like "Walk On By" or "Do You Know the Way To San Jose?"

You'll look like a damn fool. These are not easy songs to stage effectively in a dramatic context. You really have to read the lyrics AND feel the tone of the music, and sometimes they are at odds with each other. To me that's the genius, and that's also the (huge) challenge. They become their own text and subtext. Leave one out, and you screw it up.

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Updated On: 11/8/13 at 06:16 PM

Arguments aside, I actually think if this thing happens that "You Outta Know" would make a killer 1st act closer...

It depends on if they make this autobiographical of Alanis or not... but I can see the 1st act leading you down the path of first success, first love, etc. then tearing it all down... then the 2nd act being about healing, redemption, blah blah blah

I'm oversimplifying it... but I think the breadth of songs on the album (and a few others outside JLP) could really lend themselves to some interesting dramatic elements that might transcend a "jukebox musical" label.

Bottom line: do I think it's material worth exploring? Absolutely!

But it's going to be a big challenge on its own terms, not to mention it will challenge the preconceptions and perceptions of the audience.

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Updated On: 11/9/13 at 06:23 PM

I'll reply one more time... then I'll be quiet.

If a song isn't "happy" does it have to be "angry, bitter or ticked"? Can it be somewhere in between? Yes, I'm familiar with the lyrics of those songs - and I wouldn't use any of those adjectives for the three you listed (and did I even use "happy" in any of my descriptions above?)

And you cannot use only lyrics in describing the mood and characteristic of a song. In these three cases (esp. You Learn and Ironic) the music is definitely not angry, bitter or ticked-sounding.

When Elphaba sings "I'm Not that Girl" she is probably angry, bitter or ticked (based on the lyrics) - but have you ever heard one person use those words to describe the song?

That said, there could very well be a big chunk of one act that is devoted to a bitter, angry, ticked part of "her" life (or however they want to dramatize it...) - I just think the music and lyrics of many of her other hits have the potential to create a final product that is not only bitter, angry and ticked...

Who gives a flying **** if the songs are angry, happy, sad, bitter, joyful, or whatever??? They are just great songs. I know this is not a fair comparison, but Sweeney Todd has some of the angriest songs in all of theater, and it is probably the best show ever written.

Listen to a song like "Thank U", and end this stupid argument. :)

There are a COUPLE angry songs. A couple. But if in the right mood "Mary Jane" can bring me to tears. "Head Over Feet" is celebratory. "You Learn" is hopeful. There is sometimes almost feral anger, yes, but also forgiveness, questioning, learning; these songs have always seemed very humanistic to me. Perhaps sometimes, somewhat marginal humans...maybe the show could take place during a group therapy session in a psyche ward?

"I know this is not a fair comparison, but Sweeney Todd has some of the angriest songs in all of theater, and it is probably the best show ever written. "

Sweeney also puts those angry songs into the context of a Grand Guignol, near-operatic world. The tone is wildly different than what I would expect from a musical from Alanis (who I do think produced a brilliant album in Jagged Little Pill). I would actually say Follies would be a more apt comparison in terms of tone of the songs. That show is full of bitter, jaded, angry people (in a somewhat more realistic and relatable setting than Sweeney) and we've seen that a large majority of audiences do indeed have a hard time connecting with those characters.

I wish them luck with this project and will be interested to see how it develops.

I hope this actually comes to fruition. I can't wait.

I'll be in the Front Row...not with popcorn, though.


P.S. Best, your Ironic lyrics weren't deleted!

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I am so excited for this! She really writes some great material that is honest and meaty. I loved Jagged Little Pill but I loved the second album even more! I feel she has grown completely and I think these songs would be great on stage.

I would also like her to use songs like This Grudge, That Particular Time, Tapes, The Couch (one of her most theatrical songs ever!), Are You Still Mad, Uninvited, and You Owe Me Nothing In Return. I love her writing style.

Agree with the Follies comparison, was just trying to point out that not every musical (actually most if you think about it) are comprised of shiny happy songs. I wore this CD out in college, hard to believe it's been almost twenty years. It still sounds as brilliant as ever today.