Today, while reading the papers, a number of items about pre-Broadway musicals caught my eye. I’m sure most of these will eventually become musicals that fade away, or never make it:
- Magic Mike, The Musical. Channing Tatum has confirmed that a musical version of his life as a stripper is headed to Broadway. Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, creators of the Tony-winning “Next to Normal,” will write the songs, while “Glee” writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who co-wrote the book for “Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark” will write the book. No dates or acting talent yet.
- Yet Another Marilyn Musical. Marilyn Monroe – the subject people keep wanting to musicalize… and failing. A long-ago attempt failed, and we all know about Smash, the TV show about the creation of a Marilyn musical. Playbill reports that British pop singer (“Atomic Kitten”) Kerry Katona is due to play Marilyn Monroe in an industry reading for Norma Jeane The Musical, taking place in London Sept. 22. The show features a book by Belvedere Pashun, and original songs from a writing team including Jay Aston, Geoff Cotton, Orna Klement and Tony Bayliss. I don’t think this will go far. I’d be more interested in the upcoming concert version of Shaiman-Wittman’s Bombshell (the Marilyn musical from Smash).
- Sleepless in Seattle, The Musical. Sleepless in Seattle, the lackluster musical that premiered recently at the Pasadena Playhouse, is London-bound according to the LA Times. The musical didn’t get great reviews, and perhaps they are using London to retool it for Broadway. That worked for Sister Act, and we all saw how successful that was. The article also noted that the Playhouse’s version of Can Can (which we saw) is Broadway-bound, and might have better luck. Why, oh why, can’t the Playhouse just bring Mask to Broadway.
- Magic To Do. No, I’m not talking about Pippin. This time, it is a Houdini musical, starring Hugh Jackman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. What’s interesting here is that Schwartz, back in the 1970s, did a musical called The Magic Show with Doug Henning that has never been resurrected. One wonders if any music from Magic Show will mystically reappear in Houdini.
- Rebecca. The musical that will never die, Rebecca, has supposedly had its rights extended and will appear on Broadway in 2014. I’ll believe that when I see it.
