"Weird Al" Yankovic "having conversations" about writing a Broadway musical

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 10:57am

From an interview with Rolling Stone

I was thinking not long ago that an adaptation of UHF could be a fun nostalgia piece for the pre-Streaming era.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 11:00am

The best news, and on the heels of a brilliant new polka medley he just released. 

[Kad]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 11:19am

Weird Al is an extremely talented musician, a singular comedic voice, and by all accounts a truly wonderful person- I'm glad he's being appreciated more and more rather than being considered a novelty act or a punchline. You don't last over four decades in pop culture for no reason and in many cases, he's outlasted the very artists he's parodied. If this does come to pass, you can count on it being like very little else we've seen on Broadway.

[tacotheatrelover]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 2:59pm

We get closer to Weird Al as Zidler every day

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 3:06pm

tacotheatrelover said: "We get closer to Weird Al as Zidler every day"

I mean, Chicago still has yet to announce their next Billy Flynn.

[raddersons]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 4:13pm

I grew up listening to Weird Al, and this could take so many different directions. I wonder what this will be. He could write parody lyrics to existing musical theater songs. He could write totally original music. He could spoof the styles of different composers a la Schmigadoon. It could even just be a jukebox musical featuring his various parodies thru the ages. It could be a “UHF” or “Weird” biopic stage show. 

Some will work better than others, but he’s a very versatile comedian and I can’t wait to see what he cooks up.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 4:44pm

I would be really surprised if he had any desire to actually appear in a Broadway show himself. Despite his Weird Al persona, he’s an exceptionally private and introverted person. He barely even speaks in his concerts. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 4:49pm

Why would that stop him? A lot of creative types, actors included, are introverts. Barbra Streisand considers herself one. Being somebody else is what makes it easy for them.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 5:29pm

Kad said: "I would be really surprised if he had any desire to actually appear in a Broadway show himself. Despite his Weird Al persona, he’s an exceptionally private and introverted person. He barely even speaks in his concerts."

I've been thinking of that, actually. I wonder if one of the reasons he doesn't act more is because casting directors assume based on his stage persona that he'd be the live-wire, outrageous character, and he might not be interested in that. If you look at the parts where he's cast himself - UHF and Weird - he's mostly playing a straight man.

But composing a show is a different beast than acting in one. Who knows if he's planning on both?

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/23/24 at 7:06pm

Even in voice over, he seems to prefer overwhelmed, oddball introverts. Characters who are, most of the time, smaller than life until they snap. 
 

So… Man in Chair?