Jason Robert Brown is Working on a Musical Adaptation of A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN!- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 3/14/15 at 11:36pm

I hope the book writer and director are women.

[Comden Green]

Posted: 3/14/15 at 11:41pm

Kander and Ebb took strange source material and made it work -over and over. brilliant and entertaining.

jrb? challenging source material excellent work ..... but he can't get anyone to care. I second the notion that no one cares about a baseball musical.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:03am

Jebus no, look at something like Prizzi's Honour

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:09am

Kad, that was my first thought. What's most disheartening about Brown adapting this material is that a man is the one working to tell what is such an important female story. He said multiple times around the time of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY that he and Marsha Norman were already talking about another collaboration, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's involved as well.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:14am

Granted, the screenplay for the film was written by two men. But that was over two decades ago- and let's face it, when it comes to female characters, I don't think JRB is exactly the most sensitive or nuanced.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:36am

"I second the notion that no one cares about a baseball musical."

That's why Damn Yankees is never produced and relegated to the scrap heap of musical theatre history.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:39am

And introducing Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta as Mae Mordabito.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:52am

I'm suprised at some of your reactions. Yeah bridges didn't do well box office wise but the music is amazing. One of his best scores imo. I have to admit this new adaptation seems strange.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:52am

That's why Damn Yankees is never produced and relegated to the scrap heap of musical theatre history.

Although I think what you say is true, we all know it's really Bob Fosse's and Lola's (well Gwen Verdon's Lola) show.

And introducing Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta as Mae Mordabito.

LMAO

[trpguyy]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 1:11am

You all are acting as if Jason spearheaded this idea and assembled a creative team - you know that's not really how it works, right?
He was undoubtedly approached by people with money, who asked him to join a team that they are assembling to make this show. That's what professional composers do - they write music for money.

[Navin Johnson]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 2:51am

Norbert Leo Butz for Jimmy Dugan or what are we even doing here

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 3:00am

Tony Yazbeck.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 3:15am

Danny Burstein for Marla!

[Sushisake]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 4:16am

So there IS hope for Ishtar the Musical!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:53am

No. Jason Robert Brown only adapts 90s movies.

[CoverYou]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 12:01pm

I also think him jumping into another movie adaptation feels odd here. It's starting to feel almost soulless to me. Like he's movie musical adaptation machine. That said, I think we're unfairly judging him because of some of his earlier original work. I always wonder how many original shows these guys have in them.

I do think out of Vegas, Bridges and League of their own, League has the most commercial broad feel to it. It was a very successful film at the time and it's on cable all the time. I don't remember the last time I stumbled across Vegas or Bridges on TV. Those stories didn't warrant the adaptation in my mind. That said, the music in Bridges was amazing. Just didn't work as a show for me.

[Comden Green]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 9:15pm

"I second the notion that no one cares about a baseball musical."

That's why Damn Yankees is never produced and relegated to the scrap heap of musical theatre history."

No, I didn't forget about Damn Yankees, (nor the nonmusical Take Me Out) DY has a good score (excepting the baseball songs) but as far as I can see, it's been revived on Broadway exactly once. and the Encores production was quickly ruled out as a possible transfer.

I'll modify my prediction only to eliminate the hyperbole and say that not enough will be interested to make this a hit, not because of JRB but because of the source material.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 9:20pm

What I don't understand about a lot of the musical adaptations of movies is why they thought those movies would work on stage. Regardless of the quality of the finished product, I don't know how they start with The Bridges of Madison County or Catch Me If You Can or Finding Neverland and thinks musical. It's not just about finding a story that will translate well on stage with music but presumably trying to appeal to movie fans who don't typically go to see Broadway shows. Wouldn't you be better served to choose a movie where characters bursting into song would feel more natural? I had no desire to see Sister Act but that at least makes sense to me as a property you'd adapt.

[Comden Green]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 9:30pm

^
^
yep

[starcatchers]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 10:16pm

"Norbert Leo Butz for Jimmy Dugan or what are we even doing here"

My original reason for coming into this thread was to say how I wish anyone else was writing this, but if NLB plays Jimmy...I might just be willing to give it a chance. That would be perfect.

[notalwaysontime]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 1:13pm

I normally get a little groan-y when I hear about movies being made into musicals, but this movie, in JRBs hands, sign me up! and don't even get me started about the potential cast this would have.

Updated On: 3/17/15 at 01:13 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 2:16pm

I have long been excited at the prospect of a stage version of A League of Their Own,
Jason Robert Brown composing it takes the wind out of the sails for me,., you can reassured that it will be over composed, entirely too self aware, have four good ballads and absolutely close in a hurry.

[cbcgirl4life]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:12pm

I already feel bad for Sutton Foster in how many dream cast tweets she's going to be tagged in.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:20pm

I can kind of see Jenn Colella in this? At least this film was far more popular than Honeymoon.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/17/15 at 10:31am

I adore this film but I just don't see it adapting to stage in general, nor to a musical specifically. I don't care who's writing it, it just doesn't seem to have legs.

And Damn Yankees isn't done nearly as much as you might think. In my 20+ years as a high school director, I've known of exactly ONE production of this in my county. (I don't claim to be aware of every production, but am pretty aware of what goes on around me.)