Pleasantville: The Musical

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 5:57pm

I saw this on another thread, and I think it's a wonderful idea! They could do a lot with the world of Pleasantville, and it could turn out to be an amazing musical. What do you all think? Casting?

[friesgirl]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:00pm

One of the best elements of the movie, however, was the use of black and white versus color. How do they expect to do that on stage?

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:01pm

IT HAS AND CAN STILL BE DONE! Well the black and white has been done, I don't know how they could pull off the change to color because I haven't seen that on a stage, but I bet there is a way to do a lot of it with lighting. Then again I could be wrong.

Updated On: 1/10/04 at 06:01 PM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:15pm

It would have to be adapted significantly rewritten, which is fine, it is, after all, an adaptation. You wouldn't be able to do the 'instant' changes, even with lighting, so the color and black and white effects would have to be reinterpreted in many cases. One would hope the writers would find a parallel musical structure then to symbolize the characters' growth along the way.

It's a good idea, one that might work very well.

[shermanslave]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:17pm

cool! I think the part played by Reese Witherspoon should be played by Kristin Cheno and the Tobey MacGuire part should be played my Idina Menzel. The mother should be played by Carole Sheeley and the father could be Joel Grey.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:42pm

We can throw in Sutton Foster, Donna Murphy, Kerry Butler and Hugh Jackman for good measure.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:52pm

I went to a lighting website and someone says there was a show on Broadway that went from black and white to color and then back to black and white...Can anyone confirm this or is it just wishful thinking?

[shermanslave]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 6:52pm

funny! and let us not forget marissa j. w.!

[Rypm25]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 7:00pm

I believe that the musical "City of Angels" had black and white and color scenes on stage.

[Craig]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 7:01pm

City of Angels was indeed B&W and Color and sometimes both at once

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 8:35pm

This is a wonderful idea, and one that I've considered before.

The storyline is so perfect and has so many opportunities for song. Such as a comedic fighting song between the two leads, and perhaps a 50s themed song, and a song sung by Reese's character introducing the others in town to what is really cool. It would be a lot of fun, but the only thing of course is the black and white concept.

It would be so cool looking on stage to have the mixture of color and black and white. The entire stage being blah with the single colored red rose. Perhaps the first act could be mainly black and white with the Act I finale having something finally turn color, etc. The second act would then be full of changing color.

Someone get on top of this, damnit!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/10/04 at 8:49pm

City Of Angels did it

[tmm_fan]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 5:09pm

I agree. Pleasantville is a great film with an awesome underlying message of goodness and hope that would be perfect for Broadway.

I disagree about Kristen playing Reese Witherspoon's part, however. I see Sutton Foster playing that role. In my mind, she just fits perfectly.

And another thing that occured to me: if they were to make Pleasantville into a musical, what about the scenes where maybe one item turns to color yet everything else is still black and white?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 5:11pm

How about the Black & White number in "Barnum" ?

Updated On: 1/11/04 at 05:11 PM

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 5:17pm

all of the items onstage could be painted black or white with the exception of those who are supposed to be in color. It would be a costly production, but one amazing piece of theater.

I don't think Sutton fits that role at all, to be honest with you. I think Laura Bell Bundy (as if she wasn't busy enough nowadays) would be excellent in the role.

[JakeB]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 5:30pm

When I saw this thread my heart skipped a beat.. I thought there was an actual plan to do it. Pleasantville is one of my favourite films.

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 5:52pm

As far as Cheno and Sutton playing the Jen, let's not forget that the two lead characters are juniors or seniors in high school. Both leading ladies are a bit too mature for the part. Let's give some new, young, blood a chance!

[say what?]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 6:04pm

This production would only truly work if I was cast as Mary Sue and Paul Walker reprised his role as airhead jock, Skip.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 6:30pm

only is we are double cast

[gherbert]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 9:33pm

I know that there may be an overhaul when I say this, but I feel it needs to be said. Although I think it is okay that there has been a sudden interest to musicalize recent movies, but there are SO many books and plays and dare I say even old movies that are so much more deserving and ripe for musicalization. I mean, I would really love to see more of that on Broadway then this. As Nathan Detriot would say, "Sue me, sue me, what can you do me?" I know it was kind of strange that year with two Wild Parties, but that is what musical theatre should be more like. The source was risky, deserving of a hand at musicalizing it and it got TWO shows! How great is that? Do I think we should have seven of the same show by different authors each season? NO! But I think it was kind of cool that there was so much interest in musicalizing a classic poem. Since when are the only musicals available for musicalization the recent Hollywood blockbuster? I'd much rather spend my money to see a musical of Samuel Taylor's Sabrina Fair or Mary Chase's Mrs. McThing than I would Pleasentville: the Musical. Is Pleasentville: the Musical a bad idea? No. Far from it, but this is just my two cents on the matter.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 9:46pm

Why does the age of the source material matter in the slightest? If anything, I'd rather theater were trying to tie itself to the current world, rather than constantly accepting the notion that a passable adaptation of a 'classic' work is somehow a step toward high art or somehow an inherently more sophisticated attempt at adaptation. 'Pleasantville' is a metaphor for our times and a strong idea. Why would it be a better idea if someone had written it 80 years ago?

[gherbert]

Posted: 1/11/04 at 10:00pm

That's not what I'm saying. You're right and I agree with you, but some of the projects that seem to be coming to Broadway now, namely The Wedding Singer, seem to be being written for the sheer fact that they are popular. Popular has something to be said for it, but I'd rather see something like Avenue Q or Little Fish, a show that is set in the present, but isn't being musicalized because it was a recent box office blockbuster. Pleasentville the Musical is a great idea, one that I think would have potential, but I guess I missed to emphasize this part of my point.