Valley of the Dolls Musical

[Myron]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 9:58am

Stories have been flying-around for years about a musical version in the works for the Broadway version of the book and movie of Jacqueline Susanne's 60's hit "Valley of the Dolls" but I never heard more about this. Is it just rumors?

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 10:12am

There have been rumors of that for years but so far nuthin'

There was also talk of a movie remake with Lindsay Lohan as Neely O'Hara but that went nowhere too.

I'm a big VOD & Patty Duke fan since the 60's. I know she would definitely entertain the idea of playing Helen Lawson, which would be awesome.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:51pm

Would this be the reworked musical version of VOD that played Off-Broadway a few years ago?

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 1:59pm

The last I heard Fox was doing a remake directed by Betty Thomas (also directed The Brady Bunch Movie and the Howard Stern movie), but I think it is in turnaround at this point.

[TheatreFan71]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 2:32pm

Maybe it should be more of a spoof (like Xanadu). It could be called "Hello Dolls!", have a number with singing and dancing pills. Perhaps a song for Neely called "Boobies, Boobies Boobies!" :)

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:17pm

I can see it now....

Songs Like

"You'll Never Work in This Town Again!"
"I, Helen Lawson"
"I Married a Gay Man"
"Big, Blonde & Boobies"

oh the names could go on....

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:23pm

"You Know How Bitchy Fags Are" -- A "Grass Is Always Greener"-like duet between Neely and Jennifer

"So What?" for Neely: My shrink says I'm self-destructive/SO WHAT?

"After Midnight All Cats Are Grey" for Miriam

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:53pm

A Beyond the Valley of the Dolls musical would much more fun. Plus you already have the songs.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:54pm

"Sparkle, Neele, Sparkle" - an Act One closer Rose's Turn-style breakdown for Neely - Every morning it's up at 5am and "Sparkle, Neely, Sparkle!!!"!

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 3:58pm

Kate Flannery does a hysterical Neely O'Hara. She played the part in the off-Broadway show at Circle In The Square that Miss Pennywise mentioned, and later resurected her in a "Missmatch Game" spoof... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQd-OP13ON0

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 4:05pm

Irving Mansfield, Jackie Susann's devoted gay husband (but let's not go there), kept her name in the news until he died well after she did. He was a publicist by trade and was the brains behind how they almost single-handedly turned a washed- up, never-was actress into a best selling novelist.

For instance after she died he Exec Produced a tv mini-series of valley of the Dolls that took the edge off the movie and book, but it did get made.

He announced a stage musical of the material and that came to naught, but it did keep Jackie's name in the papers. I think it was a ruse. Musicals that are never written, much less produced, are announced all the time.

There was a movie about them made called "Isn't She Great?" (I think) about them. It starred Bette Midler and Nathan Lane and was a dog and bombed, but the basic story was true.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 5:21pm

I LOVE "Isn't She Great" I'd rather see a musicalization of that.

Jackie: Morty, I am almost 30.
Guy on Street: Yea right.
Jackie: F**k You.

[madlibrarian]

Posted: 8/14/08 at 6:03pm

A Valley musical could incorporate the songs written for the movie--I'll Plant My Own Tree (if this flying one doesn't knock me over), It's Impossible (to sing this song with these necklaces), Come Live With Me And Be My Love (oohhh baby), Give A Little More (with dignity!), and the Theme From Valley Of The Dolls (gotta get out of this place). Hey, Mr. Previn: grant some producer the rights to these songs!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 9:44am

The former Mrs. Previn, the first one, the un-Mia, lyricist Dory Langdon Previn, would have to sign off on the song rights too.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 10:05am

There is a wonderful biography about Susann...the name of which escapes me. Her life was about as wild as her books! RIP

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:17pm

The bio of Susann is called "Lovely Me" and I forget the author.

For that matter Dory Previn's memoir of her childhood called "Midnight Baby" is pretty good too.

[Friendofethelm]

Posted: 8/15/08 at 5:20pm

The Circle-in-the-Square Downtown production of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (which I saw) was NOT a musical, but, rather, a very funny scene by scene recreation of the movie, a la 39 STEPS.

However, back in the 1980's, there was a thinly-veiled musical spoof of VOD called LEGS, produced at the now-defunct Musical Theatre Works. It had the same story and characters, but they were given different names and slight alterations to avoid getting the rights (and being sued!). It was slight, but entertaining, with a terrific cast, including Ellen Foley in the Neely role, Karen Ziemba (Jennifer) and Carolyn Mignini (Anne).