iBroadway

I would love to be in the room with producers or creators who decide to make movies into musicals. Personally I’m a huge fan of turning Adventures in Babysitting (David Stone, please don’t steal my idea) into a musical, but only if Anthony Rapp originates his role as the zany horn-dog Daryl Coopersmith.

This season, I’ve heard rumors of several movie-to-musical adaptations as Dancing With Wolves, Bring It On, and Clueless. I’m not saying that I’m not excited by these new ventures. After all, the original La Cage Aux Folles was based off of a popular French flick. I’m just curious to know why these films, and why now? Firstly, none of the above mentioned (and you can add Catch Me If You Can and First Wives Club to the mix) are recent blockbuster hits. In fact, with the exception of the death of Clueless star Brittany Murphy, I haven’t heard mention of these movies in quite some time. Similarly, I’m not even sure of the cult following that really exists for these films. It’s not like you see NYU kids running to Village East Cinemas with pom-poms and short skirts dancing to “there must be some Toros in the atmosphere” (Cheer-tators anyone?).

Of course, I’m hoping for the success of these pieces of art (and I would like to work on all of them at some point ☺). But, I’m still unsure of their relevancy on Broadway in “the tens.” Maybe in twenty years from now, Bring It On will command the necessary nostalgia for the hit Kirsten Dunst film. Maybe the time for “Virgins Who Can’t Drive” (Clueless) will have its day when the teens that watched Alicia with pure delight have teens of their very own. Since the day has already approached, I thought of a few other movies that could make fantastic musicals. You be the judge:

I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Horror Musical
Happy Gilmore, another Adam Sandler Musical
She’s All That, The Fat Boy Slim Musical (Check out the Funk Soul Brother This Spring)

Ok Broadway fans, start dreaming! 2020 is just around the corner. And once it comes, I’ll meet you in the orchestra section of Don’t Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, the I’m Right on Top of It musical.