Whatever became of BEACHES The Musical?

No wind beneath its wings...

Seriously, I think BEACHES would be hard to adapt for the stage. It's very episodic (it's like a fictional version of the "Then I wrote" movies about composers and playwrights), a style that is more conducive to film, where the camera itself is the unifying element.

Stage plays are unified by elements like plot and character. ("Unity", per Aristotle, is that feeling that everything that happens on stage is both necessary to advance the plot, and probable, meaning it follows logically from what came before.)

We enjoy unity in a play/musical because it is reassuring as opposed to real life, which is so often random.

This isn't to say BEACHES can't be adapted, but IMHO it will take a more radical transformation than merely singing "Under the Boardwalk" and "Otto Titsling".

All that being said, I admit that despite being a dyed-in-the-wool Bette Midler fan, I found the film mostly tedious when she wasn't singing. And to me, "The Wind Beneath My Wings" has always sounded condescending, if not an actual song about farting. Yet millions of moviegoers (mostly women, I assume) loved the movie.

This isn't to say BEACHES can't be adapted, but IMHO it will take a more radical transformation than merely singing "Under the Boardwalk" and "Otto Titsling".

Sweets, it WAS adapted:

BrodyFosse123 said: "This isn't to say BEACHES can't be adapted, but IMHO it will take a more radical transformation than merely singing "Under the Boardwalk" and "Otto Titsling".

Sweets, it WAS adapted:



"

Well, now I know. Isn't the internet wonderful? It will be interesting to see what they did with it.

lightguy06222 said: "That “opens in London” article was dated March 2018.

Still happening?"

I noticed that, too.

Checked Lonny Price's Wikipedia; he's committed to a new Roundabout musical this Fall, and Beaches isn't mentioned anywhere.

That's all I know.

ggersten said: "Over onTheatreboarda poster claims there was a workshop in London last week. True? I have no idea.

But there is a lovely website with no information:Beaches UK"

After one regional production and one commercial production, could it be back to a ... workshop...?

All that being said, I admit that despite being a dyed-in-the-wool Bette Midler fan, I found the film mostly tedious when she wasn't singing. And to me, "The Wind Beneath My Wings" has always sounded condescending, if not an actual song about farting.

Agreed. I've never been a fan of this treacly tear-jerker and I truly hate Wind Beneath My Wings. I mean, the first line alone just pisses me off. The creepy co-dependent You Raise Me Up is almost as bad, but Wind Beneath My Wings is like ipecac for the soul.