John Doyle directs "The Exorcist" at Geffen Playhouse Summer 2012

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:11am

I had thought this must have been announced by now but I saw no mention of it in the last John Doyle posting.

http://geffenplayhouse.com/more_info.php?show_id=137&hide_calendar=1

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:21am

As if it weren't going to be difficult enough to find an eleven year old actress who can swear, crawl up walls and vomit on cue, they now have to find an eleven year old actress who can swear, crawl up walls, vomit on cue AND play a tuba?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:47am

It was announced a bit ago, and there's an old thread on it somewhere. I wish I wasn't basically afraid of my own shadow and could handle seeing this without nightmares, because I bet it's going to be insane.

It's not a musical.

ETA: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=1031792#4150326

Updated On: 8/16/11 at 12:47 AM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:50am

I am assuming this is a straight play... but how Awesome a musical!


"F*ck me! Look at your darling daughter now!" reprise.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:56am

Ugh, why would we ever need this to be a play? Produce some new, exciting work Geffen.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 12:58am

Two obvious critic quotes:

"Mother, Mother, Make it STOP!"
Musto; the VOICE

"Your show sucks **ck in HELL"
Brantley N.Y.TIMES

[allofmylife]

Posted: 8/16/11 at 1:59am

"Why, Doylie? Why?"
Rex Reed

[romgitsean]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 5:18pm

I for one am a fan boy of the horror genre, so I'm excited, especially because the intention seems not to recreate the film for stage, but rather a darker theatrical retelling. That being said, it could be totally hit or miss.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 5:53pm

They could sell Broadway Exorcist Pea Soup for $ 10 bucks a can in the lobby . They also need to hawk the Ragan Doll with the spinning head.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 11/15/11 at 4:46am

Got to see Penn & Teller in vegas tonight, asked Teller if he planned on doing any more directing in NY soon (he directed Play Dead recently) and he mentioned he is doing the Magic/Effects work for this show and they are possibly hoping to transfer it to broadway by halloween, exciting

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/15/11 at 8:21am

My initial reaction to this is "ugh". Horror, suspense etc. is such a hard thing to pull off on stage anyways, they're just shooting themselves in the foot by putting up a show that 9.5 out of 10 people who go to see it will have seen the movie so they already know what will happen, plus will be comparing it to it's iconic source material. This just seems like such a bad idea to me. Another "What's the point?" production.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 11/15/11 at 9:41am

The big issue is that everyone remembers the last twenty minutes of the film as the majority of the film. Most of the film is not Regan torturing the priests and breaking the laws of physics. Most of the film is Ellen Burstyn losing it over her daughter's inappropriate behavior and the young priest literally running away from his problems.

Works marvels on the page when chapters can be dedicated to each of the major players coming to grips with the exorcism, and works on film because of the cast and effects.

I'm not holding out much hope for the stage version as a straight play. A musical I'd buy under the right circumstances, but not a play. At least then the songs could help gloss over how much exposition it takes for the head to start spinning.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/15/11 at 10:43am

"Your mother blows sax in hell!"