Gone With the Wind: The Musical - starring Hugh Jackman?
June 5th 2007 22:18
A recent announcement of a stage musical version of Margaret Mitchell's classic story Gone With the Wind has surprised even me, a seasoned musical theatre freak, with the extent of the interest it has generated for itself.
No doubt the producers are cheering very quietly in the hopes that this early buzz for their production, set to premiere in London's West End in April 2008, can carry over into some seriously fat profits in the next financial year.
The show is set to be directed by Trevor Nunn, no stranger to the epic musical stage show. Nunn is the wizard behind such musical fare as Nicholas Nickleby, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Starlight Express and Les Miserables and he has stated in the announcement that he is looking forward to the challenges this show will offer.
The composer/lyricist is an unknown, Margaret Martin, and her work will reportedly stick slosely to Mitchell's epic (and somewhat heavy) novel rather than to the Oscar Winning David O'Selznick movie.
Though fans of the highly popular film will scream at the idea it isn't exactly a bad one. Gone With the Wind the movie has aged extremely badly. Only the presence of acting talent-du-talent Vivien Leigh keeps it even vaguely interesting.
However the story of the stage show works it has a hard fight ahead of it. Let's hope those three years it spent in development were not wasted. Epic period pieces are not doing so well on stage just at present.
Alain Boublil and Claude Schonberg, the masters behind Les Miserables and Miss Saigon (presently showing at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne) found that out the hard way this year when their latest epic The Pirate Queen opened on Broadway to crushing reviews - though no shortage of ticket sales it has to be said.
Lord of the Rings: the Musical is also having a tough time of it in London where a recent accident with some of the shows complicated machinery injured an actors arm forcing the cancellation of the next two performances until the safety hazard was corrected. Reviews for the show have followed much along the same lines as its horrendously bad opening in Toronto - mixed! The US$20 million Toronto opening ran for six months before closing like a clam. The London show is still only in previews, but hopefully it manages to perform a little better there.
Casting is already being talked about for Gone With the Wind: the musical with rising stage star Jill Paice (Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, The Woman in White and the new Broadway show Curtains) tipped to play Scarlett O'Hara. She read for the part during some of the shows workshops and apparantly Nunn was impressed with her work. This beautiful girl is a magnificent singer and a true actress. They could do worse.
Rhett Butler could possibly be played by Hugh Jackman - now that would be one helluva casting coup! Problem is will Hugh be available? Hugh made foru films last year and provided voices for two others. This year he has already made two and has another two others planned - to say nothing of the TV series has has been signed on for the US TV Autumn line-up. There is no question that the Tony winner would make a sublime Rhett Butler. Let's just hope his schedule allows for it!
The show begins casting officially in September this year and rehearsals will no doubt commence early in 2008. It is set to debut at the New London Theatre and fingers are crossed!
No doubt the producers are cheering very quietly in the hopes that this early buzz for their production, set to premiere in London's West End in April 2008, can carry over into some seriously fat profits in the next financial year.
The show is set to be directed by Trevor Nunn, no stranger to the epic musical stage show. Nunn is the wizard behind such musical fare as Nicholas Nickleby, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Starlight Express and Les Miserables and he has stated in the announcement that he is looking forward to the challenges this show will offer.
The classic movie is set for the full musical treatment
Though fans of the highly popular film will scream at the idea it isn't exactly a bad one. Gone With the Wind the movie has aged extremely badly. Only the presence of acting talent-du-talent Vivien Leigh keeps it even vaguely interesting.
Alain Boublil and Claude Schonberg, the masters behind Les Miserables and Miss Saigon (presently showing at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne) found that out the hard way this year when their latest epic The Pirate Queen opened on Broadway to crushing reviews - though no shortage of ticket sales it has to be said.
Lord of the Rings: the Musical is also having a tough time of it in London where a recent accident with some of the shows complicated machinery injured an actors arm forcing the cancellation of the next two performances until the safety hazard was corrected. Reviews for the show have followed much along the same lines as its horrendously bad opening in Toronto - mixed! The US$20 million Toronto opening ran for six months before closing like a clam. The London show is still only in previews, but hopefully it manages to perform a little better there.
Beauteous Broadway star Jill Paice is a prime contender for the role of Scarlett O'Hara
Casting is already being talked about for Gone With the Wind: the musical with rising stage star Jill Paice (Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, The Woman in White and the new Broadway show Curtains) tipped to play Scarlett O'Hara. She read for the part during some of the shows workshops and apparantly Nunn was impressed with her work. This beautiful girl is a magnificent singer and a true actress. They could do worse.
Hugh Jackman is no stranger to musical theatre or to period pieces... let's hope he's available
Rhett Butler could possibly be played by Hugh Jackman - now that would be one helluva casting coup! Problem is will Hugh be available? Hugh made foru films last year and provided voices for two others. This year he has already made two and has another two others planned - to say nothing of the TV series has has been signed on for the US TV Autumn line-up. There is no question that the Tony winner would make a sublime Rhett Butler. Let's just hope his schedule allows for it!
The show begins casting officially in September this year and rehearsals will no doubt commence early in 2008. It is set to debut at the New London Theatre and fingers are crossed!
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Comment by David
Is it alright if I vomit at this news?