The new stage musical adaptation of Some Like It Hot has set its Broadway bow, with performances scheduled to begin at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre November 1, ahead of a December 11 opening night. Adapted from the 1959 film written and directed by Billy WIlder, the musical features a book by The Inheritance Tony winner Matthew López and Amber Ruffin and a score by Hairspray's Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with the former providing music and both contributing lyrics.
A pre-Broadway tryout production, once set for 2021 in Chicago, was scrapped due to the pandemic, clearing the runway for the work to receive its world premiere on the Main Stem.
David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
Can anyone think of a movie that got a fairly successful Broadway musical adaptation and then another. different Broadway musical adaptation? The last tour of Sugar was re-titled SOME LIKE IT HOT: THE MUSICAL. Respect for much of the talent involved might make me see this. But I have to admit that I'm not too excited about yet another nostalgia-dependent property musical about straight men who will doubtlessly ~learn something about being a better man~ through their free-wheelin' farcical drag deception adventure. We really are in a moment of absolute entropy with what gets produced at this level. Though I predict there will be a witty wisdom-dispensing queer or trans character on the sidelines to try and keep anyone from complaining about this show in this year.
I want to love this. I hope I love this. The people involved are top shelf. But what I’ve heard from people who’ve attended the last workshop makes me hesitant. 🤞🏻
Scarywarhol, isn't the J. Harrison Ghee character queer and questioning their own gender in this version? That's hardly a "sidelines" character. Having Ghee –– a nonbinary actor –– certainly helps. As with TOOTSIE, any complaints about gender's role in this show will be peripheral and will not majorly help or hurt its performance on Broadway; other factors yes, but not that.
The ensemble for the developmental workshop earlier this year featured Tia Altinay, Esther Antoine, Ian Campayno, Jacob Dickey, Casey Garvin, Devon Hadsell, Ashley Elizabeth Hale, Jenny Hill, Jarvis B. Manning, Jr., Brian Martin, Abby Matsusaka, Amber Owens, Destinee Rea, Tyler Roberts, Angie Schworer, Charles South, Brendon Stimson, Anthony Wayne, Raena White, and Richard Riaz Yoder.
I would assume they all continue with the show for its Broadway bow.
Don't know too much about this, but I will see anything with Christian Borle in it!
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
Dylan Smith4 said: "Don't know too much about this, but I will see anything with Christian Borle in it!"
I'm more interested in what Borle does with the Shell Oil Jr. persona than the Josephine persona, and I feel like that statement kind of sums up the issues with this production. I feel like dismissing it as another "Men in drag" comedy is a simplification, but I certainly want it to go further much down the queer/gender-fluid route, so more non-binary stars in the cast and ensemble would be welcome...
I have a feeling that Tootsie and Doubtfire have "Poisoned the Well" for SLIH, which is understandable but unfair (I have a feeling that J. Harrison Ghee's status as a rare non-binary lead on Broadway is being dismissed or downplayed due to his role in Doubtfire). SLIH was always the strongest of the three, but I feel like the overuse of "cishet in drag" comedy has alienated a key section of the Broadway fandom....
DramaTeach said: "I want to love this. I hope I love this. The people involved are top shelf. But what I’ve heard from people who’ve attended the last workshop makes me hesitant. ??"
Any specific issues? I feel like this sort of thing in general is extremely difficult, because gender identity is a pretty slippery and difficult thing. I heard that there would be more of Osgood and his acceptance of Daphne's gender fluidity, but that could be tricky to integrate into the story (The Tootsie musical cut out a similar subplot*) and could also lead to more issues...
* - The subplot in the 1982 film with Dorothy and the father character attracted to "her"...
BritCrit said: "With the exception of J.Harrison Ghee, which other members of the ensemble or creative team are queer, trans or non-binary?"
Cannot speak for the unannounced cast or any uncredited "consultants," but the lead creative team is entirely gay or female, including two bookwriters of color, and a very compassionate director and songwriters when it comes to issues of sexual orientation:
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "BritCrit said: "With the exception of J.Harrison Ghee, which other members of the ensemble or creative team are queer, trans or non-binary?"
Cannot speak for the unannounced cast or any uncredited "consultants," but the lead creative team is entirely gay or female, including two bookwriters of color, and a very compassionate director and songwriters when it comes to issues of sexual orientation:
Matthew López
Amber Ruffin
Marc Shaiman
Scott Wittman
Casey Nicholaw
Mary-Mitchell Campbell
Neil Meron"
Considering that Rowling-ish TERF-ism is one of the reasons the debate over Trans Rights has got so ugly, I'm not sure that having two women on the creative team is really helpful in this situation, but it can be if they bring respect and empathy, and bring a perspective that recognizes that people who belong to gender-fluid, trans, non binary and cross dressing groups are guests rather than threats...
I guess Anita is now headlining the Tropicana in Havana, Cuba circa 1958? I guess it’s safe to assume part of the reinterpretation is moving the timeline from the late 1920s to tropical late 1950s:
Thinking this will have a broad appeal for the general audience. Hopefully this doesn't become a flop. Really strong potential here for a hit.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
BritCrit said: "Any specific issues? I feel like this sort of thing in general is extremely difficult, because gender identity is a pretty slippery and difficult thing. I heard that there would be more of Osgood and his acceptance of Daphne's gender fluidity, but that could be tricky to integrate into the story (The Tootsie musical cut out a similar subplot*) and could also lead to more issues...
* - The subplot in the 1982 film with Dorothy and the father character attracted to "her"..."
From what I’ve heard it’ll be tricky finding an audience. Maybe too “woke” for the old-fashioned Some Like It Hot purists or older audiences and too by-the-books and safe for the younger crowd. It’ll be interesting. I’m a massive fan of Shaiman and Whitman’s music and this era is their wheelhouse. You know it’s going to have some massive dance breaks with Casey at the bat. Thought pieces of Matthew Lopez’s The Inheritance were gorgeous. Hoping it finds a sweet spot in a tricky in-between.
I think this has potential to escape the eyerolls Tootsie and Doubtfire have gotten. I am genuinely interest in having Jerry explore gender identity as Daphne. But , that being said, if seeing some of my woker friends react to Head over Heels taught me anything, it is that a show that plays with the "man in a dress" trope with good intentions can still offend people.
Also, I have heard some reports that Whitman and Shaiman have featured the song "Let's Be Bad" from SMASH in the score, which makes sense - the song was written as an in-universe "Some Like it Hot" number, but this does seem to be an indicator that the stage adaptation of SMASH (or BOMBSHELL) has stalled.