They turned that into a musical?

#1

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 7:40pm

I'm looking to create a course for an advanced program I'm teaching in this summer called "They turned that into a muscial?" My inspiration is "Next to Normal." The campus where I will be teaching is close enough that I could take my students to see The Muny's production of "Titanic." I'm looking for other musicals we might study and/or listen to that also answer that question. Suggestions?

#2

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 7:50pm

What "question" are you implying? They turned that into a musical? I would assume from the two choices you picked your looking for shows that are somewhat depressing, for lack of a better word. There are a ton of those types of shows.

In a non-snarky way, what is the purpose of this course?

#3

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 7:55pm

"I would assume from the two choices you picked your looking for shows that are somewhat depressing, for lack of a better word."

Or shows that one can't imagine onstage, but they actually happened...like Titanic?

What about Lion King?

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#4

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 7:58pm

The purpose of the course is to explore topics that seem to defy "musicalization," such as bipolar disorder or the tragedy of a sinking ship.

Updated On: 2/16/10 at 07:58 PM

#5

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:12pm

How about a musical in which private bathrooms are illegal and the punishment for peeing in the bushes is death?

Or one about a murderous barber and a baker who turns his victims into meat pies?

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Updated On: 2/16/10 at 08:12 PM

#6

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:17pm

Thank you D2! That is a great suggestion. Had not thought of "Urinetown," but I think it successfully answers the question as does "Sweeney Todd."

Updated On: 2/16/10 at 08:17 PM

#7

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:35pm

My Fair Lady is another example. Shaw's verbose comedy of manners made a fairly romantic musical? Hope this helps. I've had My Fair Lady on my mind lately, so perhaps that's why it came to my head right away.

#8

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:46pm

Yes jv92 it does. Had not thought of "My Fair Lady" since it is such a mainstream musical, but textually it does seem to "defy musicalization."

Updated On: 2/16/10 at 08:46 PM

#9

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:54pm

The British are great at taking off beat subjects & turning them into musicals

Some of their better efforts are:

Mutiny - Mutiny On The Bounty
A Clockwork Orange
Metropolis

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#10

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 8:58pm

Almost everything ALW ever wrote other than POTO.
Godspell

#11

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 9:06pm

Thank you, sidneybruhl, that was a little bit like what I was thinking but I didn't have the words and wasn't sure. What you said also makes sense Millie. The better word for what I was trying to say was dark. Typically dark subject matters make for show that "defy musicalization."

Spring Awakening might be one.

#12

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 9:10pm

byebyebaby, I disagree. I think Sunset Boulevard is perfect fodder for a musical.

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#13

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 9:13pm

givesmevoice- Oh yes, for some reason when I was running his shows through my head, I forgot that one.

#14

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 9:43pm

Gypsy--the early life of a stripper
Hair--Hippies protesting Vietnam
Spelling Bee--well, a Spelling bee
Rent--although it's based on an opera, it involves people with drug addictions and AIDS

#15

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:01pm

Grey Gardens. Two reclusive cat ladies living in squalor.

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#16

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:02pm

Falsettos comes to mind, for some reason.

#17

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:05pm

Pacific Overtures- the opening of Japan to foreign trade in the 19th century.

Little Shop of Horrors- an adaptation of a B-movie from the 60s about a carnivorous plant being fed human flesh by a nebbish. NOWADAYS that doesn't seem so crazy, but this musical started that fad. And is still the best.

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#18

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:12pm

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

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#19

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:22pm

Floyd Collins - based on a story of a Kentucky man who gets trapped in a cave

#20

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:48pm

Not on Broadway (yet) but

Scottsboro Boys

12 African American boys fight to prove their innocence after being wrongfully accused of raping two white prostitutes. They were treated horribly and only 3 were found not guilty. Charged in 1931, the one remaining defendant was pardoned in 1988, the rest lead troubled lives after being released from prison.

Sounds like a light-hearted romp.

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#21

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 10:57pm

Der Hindenberg- A Musical Comedy
(about the Hindenberg...)

#22

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 11:03pm

Yeah Starlight Express - The characters are supposed to be trains (BTW I love the musical) Assassins- The characters are famous assassins. Parade- Child murder?

#23

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 11:44pm

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title of this thread is, "Doonesbury".

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#24

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/16/10 at 11:56pm

Yes, good one Xman8 - Assassins is a perfect: "a musical about US Presidential assassins"? Assassins has got to be one of the absolute best "worst" ideas that ever made a great musical

#25

They turned that into a musical?

Posted: 2/17/10 at 12:07am

My first thoughts were: Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd and Parade.
My Fair Lady has various anecdotes of composers trying to musicalize it and giving up before it finally came to stage.