[sanariot]

Ok, so I was reading a review of the latest Austin Powers movie in a local paper that said "perhaps the best thing in this apparently final episode of the trilogy are the abundant musical numbers...In fact you can almost picture an Austin Powers musical arriving on Broadway", and this led me to think about the statement and consider the recent trend on Broadway of adapting source material from other mediums (ala "The Producers", John Waters' "Hairspray", "Mama Mia" the ABBA musical, hell even "The Lion King" and the recent off-broadway "Brady Bunch", "Schoolhouse Rock" and "Scooby Doo" productions) and turn them into extravaganzas of the stage.

There was talk when "The Producers" came out of turning Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" and to a lesser extent, "Blazing Saddles" into a musical, what do you think would make a good play or musical based on source material from another medium? Being an obsessive rock music fan myself, led me to the obvious examples of Tenacious D and Queen. Both are bands with a very theatrical performance sense and both have songs that are very story-driven. I would be very interested in knowing what movies, tv shows, bands/songs you think could be made into Broadway shows. Give me your ideas. I promise not to laugh...wait, if they are really funny, I promise I WILL laugh. Have at it, kids.

[skipshady]

"The Gallgher Brothers"

The story of two brothers from Manchester, Liam and Noel, set to the music of Oasis.

Though I'm afraid they'll lose a little something when they translate the dialogue to English. They can't put subtitles on stage after all.

[obie]

If there was ever a thread to which I could contribute, this is it.

First of all, no one should ever again use songs from a baby boomer rock artist and construct a musical around them ever again. Tommy was good because it had a plot when The Who first recorded it. The London critics savaged Queen's We Will Rock You, and Chicago's doing the same now with Billy Joel's Movin' Out. So let's just drop this entire idea right now.

As far as films are concerned, I can think of a few that could work. One has to keep in mind that Broadway's two most important audiences are late-boomer suburban women and gay men, so if it doesn't appeal to those groups, it won't fly. In rough order of feasibility, with every Disney movie excluded:

1. Amelie has all the makings of a great 1940s-style romantic musical. A simple plot that can be propelled by songs, a few basic easily-understandable characters, the potential for some beautiful staging. With good music this could be a global hit. Somebody has to have already bought the rights to this.

2. Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge is classic yet contemporary, though the quick pacing (and getting all of the song rights & clearances) could be tough to translate. Also, Luhrmann is trying to stage La Boheme, and if that fails nobody would try Moulin Rouge.

3. Bridget Jones' Diary could be a good musical comedy and would hit all of the right demographics.

4. O Brother Where Art Thou? The music tour was / is a massive hit and there's never been a bluegrass musical. But would it appeal to the key groups? I don't know.

5. Going back a few years, I'm surprised that no one has ever tried a Monty Python musical. (Maybe they have but couldn't get all the rights from the members.) Life of Brian with new Eric Idle songs would be an absolute smash in both London and New York, especially if it is condemned by the Catholic Church.

6. Why hasn't Dog Day Afternoon ever been made into a play? The entire thing takes place on a single set, the dialogue is crisp and engrossing, and it would be cheap.

[sanariot]

Originally posted by obie
6. Why hasn't Dog Day Afternoon ever been made into a play? The entire thing takes place on a single set, the dialogue is crisp and engrossing, and it would be cheap.

I like all your choices, and somebody I know has already put on a small production of "Dog Day Afternoon" for the same reasons that you state.

[obie]

I'll give you one other which is already in development: Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. I hope this fails.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by obie
As far as films are concerned, I can think of a few that could work. One has to keep in mind that Broadway's two most important audiences are late-boomer suburban women and gay men, so if it doesn't appeal to those groups, it won't fly. In rough order of feasibility, with every Disney movie excluded:

4. O Brother Where Art Thou? The music tour was / is a massive hit and there's never been a bluegrass musical. But would it appeal to the key groups? I don't know.

If O Brother Where Art Thou? became a musical, it certainly wouldn't appeal to bluegrass fans, because bluegrass fans like good, live music not campy Broadway-esque stuff. This is real music for real people, not some glossed over thing with shimmying hands. As an avid bluegrass enthusiast, I for one, would not only NOT go see a musical made of this, I would picket outside of it if it happened.

[obie]

Originally posted by nicodemus


If O Brother Where Art Thou? became a musical, it certainly wouldn't appeal to bluegrass fans, because bluegrass fans like good, live music not campy Broadway-esque stuff. This is real music for real people, not some glossed over thing with shimmying hands. As an avid bluegrass enthusiast, I for one, would not only NOT go see a musical made of this, I would picket outside of it if it happened.

Here's how O Brother could be put on Broadway without offending your bluegrass sensibilities. There's a series in NYC called City Center Encores that does concert stagings of classic and lost musicals. The focus isn't on the plot (though they are explained) or the staging (there isn't any), but on the songs. The band plays live on stage, and whatever musical number is next, the performer walks up to the center of the stage and sings it. It's not campy, it's not "Broadway-esque" in the way that you are probably thinking about it with Les Mis-style sets and flying chandeliers, but it's massively popular because it is focused on the music and the performance.

In fact, it's almost exactly like the "Down From The Mountain" tour, except with a story told throughout that ties the songs together. It's not that hard to do, really.

If Porgy and Bess can turn Negro spirituals into high opera without picketers, the road for O Brother to a staging wouldn't be too difficult.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by obie
In fact, it's almost exactly like the "Down From The Mountain" tour, except with a story told throughout that ties the songs together. It's not that hard to do, really.

If Porgy and Bess can turn Negro spirituals into high opera without picketers, the road for O Brother to a staging wouldn't be too difficult.

If it was something akin to say, The Buddy Holly Story I would go see that. Those guys could play and that was a good time...I just have no interest in seeing great traditional music sensationalized or cheapened.