Time brings reversals, in the arts as everywhere else, and the new season at ASU Gammage underlines one of the more radical reversals on Broadway in my time.
Of the seven shows scheduled for ASU, two are old favorites: Fiddler on the Roof (1964) and Hair (1967). In keeping with the series’ extraordinary ability to bring us the latest from Broadway, the other five are more recent shows: Young Frankenstein; Billy Elliot The Musical; Shrek The Musical; 9 to 5: The Musical; and Mamma Mia!
All but one of the five is a musical based on a hit movie, and the fifth, Mamma Mia!, is a jukebox musical, a show put together from pre-written songs.
Both things barely existed until about 15 years ago. Now, they dominate new musicals. To be sure, shows that don’t fit those profiles still get done: Avenue Q, Light in the Piazza and Spring Awakening are three brilliant examples from the past decade. But musicals such as The Wedding Singer and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels simply would never have been produced had they not enjoyed instant audience recognition of their titles, and Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages trade wholly on the popularity of songs already drilled into theatergoers’ ears.
It used to be that musicals started on stage, became movies, and along the way provided popular music with the majority of its material. Now musicals follow rather than lead, tagging along after screen hits or grabbing pop songs for support.
Familiar stories and familiar songs are, frankly, a cheap way to do instant marketing. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the resulting product lacks merit, compare Wedding Singer and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to Light in the Piazza and Spring Awakening and a case begins to gel for originality over rote adaptation. Easy commercial paths never lead to artistic success. Imagine someone telling Lenny Bernstein and Jerry Robbins in 1957: “Dump this West Side Story thing – do a show on Gone With the Wind!”
The Broadway series at ASU Gammage opens Monday with Young Frankenstein, with songs by the man who gave us one of the biggest of all movies-into-musicals, The Producers. Mel Brooks is a funny guy and some of his songs for The Producers hit home (though none hit like the original movie’s blockbuster, “Springtime for Hitler”). It’ll be interesting to hear what his score does for Young Frankenstein.
In the spirit of combining musicals based on hit movies with the idea of the jukebox musical, I suggest the following shows for future production:
The Godfather, featuring songs from the catalogue of Frank Sinatra. Imagine the Don’s big finale, “My Way.”
Animal House, with songs by Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Think “Great Balls of Fire” and the John Belushi character; a perfect fit.
Silence of the Lambs, with a score comprising various ‘80s hits. The bad guy sings “Me So Horny.”
No Country for Old Men, incorporating Johnny Cash songs. How could one possibly improve on Anton Chigurh singing “Ring of Fire”?
– Ken LaFave
LaFave on the Arts
From the stage to the screen…no, wait, reverse that!
Posted by kenlafave in commentary, events on September 23, 2010
Time brings reversals, in the arts as everywhere else, and the new season at ASU Gammage underlines one of the more radical reversals on Broadway in my time.
Of the seven shows scheduled for ASU, two are old favorites: Fiddler on the Roof (1964) and Hair (1967). In keeping with the series’ extraordinary ability to bring us the latest from Broadway, the other five are more recent shows: Young Frankenstein; Billy Elliot The Musical; Shrek The Musical; 9 to 5: The Musical; and Mamma Mia!
All but one of the five is a musical based on a hit movie, and the fifth, Mamma Mia!, is a jukebox musical, a show put together from pre-written songs.
Both things barely existed until about 15 years ago. Now, they dominate new musicals. To be sure, shows that don’t fit those profiles still get done: Avenue Q, Light in the Piazza and Spring Awakening are three brilliant examples from the past decade. But musicals such as The Wedding Singer and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels simply would never have been produced had they not enjoyed instant audience recognition of their titles, and Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages trade wholly on the popularity of songs already drilled into theatergoers’ ears.
It used to be that musicals started on stage, became movies, and along the way provided popular music with the majority of its material. Now musicals follow rather than lead, tagging along after screen hits or grabbing pop songs for support.
Familiar stories and familiar songs are, frankly, a cheap way to do instant marketing. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the resulting product lacks merit, compare Wedding Singer and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to Light in the Piazza and Spring Awakening and a case begins to gel for originality over rote adaptation. Easy commercial paths never lead to artistic success. Imagine someone telling Lenny Bernstein and Jerry Robbins in 1957: “Dump this West Side Story thing – do a show on Gone With the Wind!”
The Broadway series at ASU Gammage opens Monday with Young Frankenstein, with songs by the man who gave us one of the biggest of all movies-into-musicals, The Producers. Mel Brooks is a funny guy and some of his songs for The Producers hit home (though none hit like the original movie’s blockbuster, “Springtime for Hitler”). It’ll be interesting to hear what his score does for Young Frankenstein.
In the spirit of combining musicals based on hit movies with the idea of the jukebox musical, I suggest the following shows for future production:
The Godfather, featuring songs from the catalogue of Frank Sinatra. Imagine the Don’s big finale, “My Way.”
Animal House, with songs by Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Think “Great Balls of Fire” and the John Belushi character; a perfect fit.
Silence of the Lambs, with a score comprising various ‘80s hits. The bad guy sings “Me So Horny.”
No Country for Old Men, incorporating Johnny Cash songs. How could one possibly improve on Anton Chigurh singing “Ring of Fire”?
– Ken LaFave
asu gammage, broadway musicals, jukebox musicals, shrek the musical, young frankenstein
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