Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
#0Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 5:16amAside from those that have been done or will be done in the near future, which literature classics would you like to see done onstage as a musical?
#1re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 5:24amI think Sherlock Holmes would be funny!
#2re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 5:34amMy friend and I are currently trying to write a musical based on Mrs. Dalloway, I think it's a story that lends itself to a Light in the Piazza-like show. Also, I believe The Importance of Being Ernest would make a great Sondheim show given the composer's seamless ability to work with words.
#3re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 5:36amHave anybody ever done A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?
rockfenris2005
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#4re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 6:42am
Connecticut Yankee was a musical by Rodgers and Hart. It was revived and revised after Rodgers and Hammerstein opened Oklahoma.. and Hart died (more or less) straight after it
rockfenris2005
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#5re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 6:44am
I always thought Great Expectations would make a great musical or opera. Miss Haversham would be a truly amazing character
phantom_tenor
Leading Actor Joined: 1/11/05
#6re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:02amCounte of Monte Cristo would make an awesome operatic musical, but a pretty long one.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#7re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:10am
The Decline & Fall of The Roman Empire
War & Peace
#8re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:14amOld Possums Book of Practical Cats
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#9re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:17amCrime & Punishment
iluvtheatertrash
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
#10re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 10:17am
Sherlock Holmes has been done already. Great Expectations has been done as well.
I've been saying A Tale of Two Cities for quite some time so I'm very excited that we're finally getting it on Broadway!
WildhornFanatic
Broadway Star Joined: 2/5/05
#11re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:02amMy friend at school has written a COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO Musical that is quite good.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#12re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:07am
Why would anyone desire to state publicly a potential multi-million dollar musical idea based on an original work that is in the public domain?
Helloooooooo?
BWayBoy88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/23/04
#13re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:17amI know there is some version written out there-But I would love to see a musical version of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway.
#14re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:18amI heard about plans for it a while ago-A Little Princess. Also, I know it exists, but A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has graet potential. Was the musical any good?
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#15re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 11:27am
The musical of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn has gorgeous songs... I'd recommend the cast recording highly. The show itself doesn't quite come off... it's both a little too influenced by Carousel, and throws a lot of material to the secondary character of Cissy, who was played by star Shirley Booth, at the expense of the central couple. (It's kind of the same situation with Take Me Along, where Jackie Gleason's Uncle Sid has probably too much material, but the author(s) were writing for a star in the role and had to give an audience what they wanted). Still, "Make the Man Love Me," "I'll Buy You A Star," "Growing Pains," "If You Haven't Got a Sweetheart" and all of those terrific comedy songs for Booth, including the hilarious "He Had Refinement" and charming "Love Is The Reason" are all terrific.
As far as a book that would make a terrific musical...I've always wondered how Kingley Amis's "Lucky Jim" would fare. The central character's flights of fancy have potential for very inventive musical sequences.
#16re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:22pmDavid Copperfield would be a great musical. Lots of wacky, dark and funny characters. Mr. Murdstone would be a great baritone role. Make him as sinister as possible.
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#17re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:25pm
'David Copperfield' did become a Broadway musical - and was a disaster.
IBDB listing on Copperfield
SorryGrateful
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#18re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:51pmI was going to say Lolita, but wasn't that already done? Did it ever make it to the stage at all? I don't know if it would be a good musical, but it's a beautiful book. Weirder things have happened.
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#19re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:56pm
Yes. A Lolita musical, named Lolita, My Love, closed on the road. There's a bootleg recording that was issued on disc, and the score has some pretty great things in it, particularly everything that Dorothy Loudon does.
A straight play adaptation of Lolita, adapted by Edward Albee, did come to Broadway and closed pretty quickly.
PhantomMag234
Leading Actor Joined: 5/28/05
#20re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:56pmI second both Great Expectaitons and Sherlock Holmes!
KristinChenowethFan
Understudy Joined: 7/31/05
#21re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:56pmMorning becomes Electra
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#22re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 12:59pmThere is a Sherlock Holmes musical, called Baker Street. Sorta middling show... I've never quite fallen in love with the score, although it has its partisans.
Theatreboy33
Broadway Star Joined: 5/19/03
#23re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 1:02pm
Fifth Business. Full of fascinating characters, great story, exotic locals. Ive always thought itd make a great stage play, so hey, why not a musical.
Also Wonka. Get it revamped, rewritten and onstage!
#24re: Literature Classic You'd Like To See Done As A Musical
Posted: 8/7/05 at 1:02pmI third Great Expectations! I don't know if anyone mentioned this but maybe Pride and Prejudice would do good as a musical. I also agree with The Count of Monte Cristo.
Videos