When even a character in it describes Xanadu as “children’s theater for 40 year-old gay men”, what other choice do we have then to name it the Movie Dearest Stage Show of the Year?
Based on the notoriously-awful-but-we-love-it-anyway movie musical starring Olivia Newton John, the unexpected hit has been packing in the “Fanadus” since it opened on Broadway this past summer. Directed by Christopher Ashley from a book by Douglas Carter Beane, an Aussie-fied Kerry Butler channels ONJ, while the hunkalicious Cheyenne Jackson skates his way to stardom. Tony Roberts takes over for Gene Kelly, and the fab scene-stealers Jackie Hoffman and Mary Testa appear as the evil muses.
Yup, turning one of the biggest bombs in movie history into a critically acclaimed stage musical sure takes a lot of balls … disco balls, that is.
For all the Movie Dearest coverage of Xanadu, including pictures and videos, click here.
Click here to pre-order the Xanadu
cast album from Amazon.com.
Link via XanaduOnBroadway.com.
The classic MGM tuner The Band Wagon is one of the few big screen musicals from the golden age yet to make its way to the stage (even though, technically, it is based on a stage musical — only the title and a handful of songs were carried over to the screen), but that is about to change.
Now one of the most-beloved movie musicals of all time will be brought to life onstage by Douglas Carter Beane, the librettist of the current Broadway hit Xanadu (one of the most-reviled movie musicals of all time) under the title of one of its most memorable dance numbers, Dancing in the Dark. With a blessing from the original film’s legendary screenwriter, Betty Comden, the new stage version will also add more songs from the catalog of songwriters Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz.
Dancing in the Dark will premiere next year in San Diego, with an eye for a Broadway bow in the future.
Click here to buy The Band Wagonon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, Ibdb.com and Playbill.com.
Whether you’re dreaming for your own prince to become a “Part of Your World” or you just want someone to join you as you’re “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, these two new original Broadway cast recordings should fulfill your fondest wishes.
Click here for more information (including complete track lists) and to pre-order The Little Mermaid(available February 26) and/or Young Frankenstein(available December 26) from Amazon.com.
To paraphrase Gordon Gekko, “Green is good”: Wicked was on everyone’s minds as the favored choice for the next big screen version of a stage musical hit, earning over one-third of 263 total votes in last week’s poll. However, in a bit of catch-22, the show’s Broadway success will probably keep Universal from planning any film version for the forseeable future.
Two shows — Aida and Into the Woods -- tied for second place, with Les Miz and Avenue Q rounding out the top five.
For the full results, see the comments section below. This week’s MD Poll, a double feature of sorts, will be posted shortly.
When even a character in it describes Xanadu as “children’s theater for 40 year-old gay men”, what other choice do we have then to name it the Movie Dearest Stage Show of the Year?
