Tales of the City-The Musical

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:02pm

This could actually work. I adore these books (and the great TV movies).

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/105657.html

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:12pm

I think it could be excellent, although I think it lends itself to more of a sung through form.

The first book would make a great opera.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:29pm

I'm excited and scared.

[Julian2]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:35pm

He made me feel excited, well, excited and scared

I'm not familiar with the source material, but this sounds really interesting. I can't wait to hear who the music team/writer will be.

Updated On: 2/9/07 at 08:35 PM

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:42pm

Isn't it the AVe Q team?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:45pm

this could really be something to sing about!

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:54pm

Oh this could be really really good.

I can't believe all of the camp classics are making their way to the stage. . finally.

~Jacob.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 8:56pm

I don't really think Tales of the City is a camp classic. It would actually be a very serious musical.

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 9:01pm

I would hardly say it is realism.

It's meant to be a serial soap opera in print form, and I think it would be exciting to see it kept in its original spirit.

The BBC/Showtime versions are campy as hell.

~Jacob.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 9:12pm

interesting........

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 9:17pm

I don't think camp is the right work. NO, it isn't realism but I certainly wouldn't call it camp. Perhaps Magic Realism or even Magic Melodrama would be more proper. Camp would be Mommie Dearest or Baby Jane, films so bad, they're good. But Tales (book and film) are both accomplished, serious (serious as in legit) works. Playing this as pure camp would do a disservice to his deeply rich characters. They are complex people. You don't find that in camp.

[RevolutionaryCostume]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 10:41pm

Well, you've made a valid point, but I still disagree.

I think the quirkiness and charm of Tales of the City is in the fact that it is campy. It may not be to the extremes of Die Mommie Die or Baby Jane. . but it is definitely campy in my book.

I don't even see the characters being very rich or detailed. . most of them seem very one-dimensional. .

-Small-town girl who gets awakened by the "big city"
-The promiscious bachelor who gets the girl in the end.
-The transexual landlady who grows weed in the garden and nearly ****s her father. .

Well, that last one doesn't fit my example.. but ya know

The whole thing is sheer over-the-top decadence. . its' like Melrose Place without Heather Locklear.

~Jacob.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 10:42pm

Complex people? Who just happen to be at the Jonestown Massacre? Who discover a cannibal cult? Who keep a newswoman in chains in the basement?

I loved Tales of the City but happily they are not the least bit realistic. I'd say 'Over-the-top gay fantasias" at the very least. That's not to say they couldn't be good source material for a musical. I'd love see Elaine Stritch playing Mother 'mucca.

[NCGuy]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 11:12pm

I agree with BobbyBubby...the storylines are over-the-top, but the characters are just too well-drawn to not form some sort of emotional investment in (and I still haven’t forgiven Armistead Maupin for breaking my heart with his treatment of Mary Ann Singleton in the last book!).

Updated On: 2/9/07 at 11:12 PM

[mattonstage]

Posted: 2/9/07 at 11:35pm

How about Donna Murphy or Judy Kaye for Mrs. Madrigal?
And how about Laura Benanti or Laura Bundy for Maryann?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 12:11am

Like everything else, TALES started as one thing and became another. The first book -- and maybe the second -- are indeed high camp, with references that only SFers would truly appreciate. But by the time he got to the thrid book, Maupin was starting to play to a larger audience and, by necessity, had to make the characters deeper and more complex.

A musical? I have no idea where they would begin, let alone how the material should be approached musically. I mean, if anything, TALES is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to possible storylines.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 12:12am

I felt the same way NCGuy felt about the last book. MaryAnn was me, I felt. And to have her do that, hurt.

I can't wait to read his new one, Michael Tolliver Lives.

I hope they can pull it off. Tales of the City has been through the ringer development-wise.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 8:19am

He's working on a new one???

That's hysterical. See, when Book 6 came out, Maupin *swore*, in every interview he could get, that this was *it*: he was never coming back to this series again, no matter what the fans demanded. He wanted to let *them* decided, each for him/herself what happened to Mary Anne and Michael and the rest of the crew, but for himself, he was tired of the characters.

Then he has a string of not-so-successful books. Okay pieces of writing, but nowhere near as magical as TALES.

So I'm not at all surprised that he's going back to the well one more time. Long overdue, sure, but also not surprising.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/10/07 at 8:37am

its rich material...if they can develop some quality music & find a cast that the audience can emotionally invest in....


well, i guess that would apply to *any* show, but i'm still excited at the thought!