Steinman developing BAT OUT OF HELL for the stage

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:55pm

i have no words.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/113907.html

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:57pm

He is SO sexy in that picture.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 9:59pm

i like his jacket. too bad about his face, though

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:00pm

Actually, after listening to Bat Out of Hell I and II, I thought that the music/lyrics could make for a good rock musical. I had this idea a couple of years ago. Call me crazy...on second thought....don't

[jaystarr]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:01pm

oh my god! (in a bad way)



Steinman states on his blog that the musical, titled Bat Out of Hell, will be based on the songs from the three-album cycle. Described as a Cirque du Soleil-type spectacle, Steinman has penned music and lyrics. Playwright Stephen Clarke (Stripped) has signed on to collaborate with Steinman on the musical's book.

*******

Jim Steinman + Meatloaf + Cirque de Soleil =

I smell another disaster in the making !

J*
Updated On: 1/2/08 at 10:01 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:03pm

Is that the one with "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"? When I was in high school, we'd go to Rocky Horror and one of the things they did before it started was a performance of this song by the guy who played Eddie and the girl who played Columbia.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:03pm

Kringas, yes it is

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:06pm

Okay posters, start casting....

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:07pm

I want to play Ellen Foley!

[jaystarr]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:07pm

Okay posters, start casting....

Randy Quaid !

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:08pm

genius!

EDIT: Do the young people on here know about Bat Out Of Hell I or II? Do they still play Paradise (By the dashboard lights) at school dances? Do they even know about Meatloaf? Updated On: 1/2/08 at 10:08 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:21pm

Do they even run Rocky Horror on a regular basis anymore?

[jbdc]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:23pm

Does anyone still wear a hat? I'm old now. It's official. I'm Elaine Stritch.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:24pm

Meatloaf is some gross old rocker right?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:26pm

I would hate to be Elaine Stritch.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:35pm

I love Steinman's music as arena rock. Adding a book to it and claiming it's all part of some big story (and, yes, I realize Steinman always claims it's all part of some grand opera he's been working on all his life) smells like a disaster.

The running time alone will be deadly.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:37pm

edit. Posted twice.

Updated On: 1/2/08 at 10:37 PM

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:37pm

"we'd go to Rocky Horror and one of the things they did before it started was a performance of this song by the guy who played Eddie and the girl who played Columbia."

And one night in NY, I did it, playing Eddie.

I do think the film is still showing on the weekends in different parts of the country.

I'm a fan of Steinman's music. I hope he's more successful this time!

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:39pm

This news has been out since early-to-mid last year. Playbill usually don't take this long to pick up on stuff like this. Wilson Milam ("The Lieutenant of Inishmore") was supposed to direct. Steinman announced the creative team well over a year ago; Mark Dendy for choreography, Eiko Ishioka for costumes, set & theatre design by Mark Fisher, animation by Gerald Scarfe, lighting by Marc Brickman and orchestrations by Steve Margoshes.

According to Steinman, it's based on his life's work "Neverland" which has been in development for 30-40 years.

Updated On: 1/2/08 at 10:39 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:46pm

I do like how over the top all his songs are.

Is the show literally going be about a bat out of hell?

Jane, that's fabulous. I got thrown out once for taking off my shirt and smoking a cigarette.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:47pm

Neverland.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 10:49pm

Ooh, yay, time to play insider!

First of all, this is another iteration of the "Neverland" piece that Steinman has pretty much been working on (in some form or another) since his college days in 1969. Unfortunately, someone (no doubt the nice people at Sony BMG and Warner's) gave him the cash to achieve his pipe dream of "Cirque du Soleil on acid," as he recently described it. The show will apparently include everything he told Playbill and more. He left out the BMX riders, the motorcyclists doing astounding stunts in mid-air, and a corps of amazing dancers from around the world.

The current venue of choice is the Apollo Victoria. They were planning to replace "Wicked." Steinman: "We were going to build our own theatre, but the big problem was no room at all in London for it and we did want to start there! [The Apollo Victoria is] a great theatre in a great location!"

@ Popa: Your misgivings about the book are not far from the truth. Steinman has had a basic book since 1969. The last time it was revised by him (on record) was in the early 80's and then again in 1994. Apparently, Peter Pan played as gang warfare in a post-apocalyptic NY is too hard for Jim to write, as just about every writer you can think of has had a crack at revising the book (to name a few, the list includes Ben Elton, Terry Jones, Tom Stoppard, screenwriter Stuart Beattie, and David Hare).

Clarke's version was eventually chosen because Steinman was given a copy of "Stripped" - he considers it "the most spellbinding play I've read in 35 years, all the way back to 'Equus,'" and he goes on to call it "dazzling, thrilling, incredibly advanced in its use of heightened language," whatever that means.

Aside from these, most of the creative team is set as rockfen said, with the addition of Todd Rundgren as vocal arranger/musical consultant, Kasim Sulton as musical director, Michael Reed and Mike Dixon as musical supervisors, and Andrew Fell as general manager. Apparently Terry Gilliam was also a possibility for director.

A "clothing line," a themed cafe/restaurant (run by Jamie Oliver), a boutique to sell "Bat" products (music, cologne, and clothes, among other items), are some of the merchandising tie-ins being planned. I think some of these might be more successful than the eventual show, if they ever get off the ground.

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 11:00pm

Phyllis- did you get kicked out in NY? I'd be surprised-no shirt and smoking was practically de riguer at our showings! I was part of the group who acted out the film in front of the screen every weekend-i usually played Eddie!

Anyway back to the topic-that sounds pretty interesting, gvendo.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 11:08pm

No, it was in St. Louis.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/2/08 at 11:18pm

Anyone else turned on?