Dave the Musical
Dave the Musical
#1Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 12:51pm
A reading was just held for a new musical called "Dave," apparently based on the film of the same name. The reading featured Brian d'Arcy James and Carmen Cusack in the leading roles, respectively.
Anyone have any more info on this project? There isn't much out there.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#2Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 12:57pm
Why must every movie be made into a musical? This seems to be the new trend.
Poster Emeritus
#3Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 12:58pm
Could someone please link to the instagram that was apparently posted?
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#5Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:17pm
Wow. Thanks!
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#6Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:21pm
Mr Roxy said: "Why must every movie be made into a musical? This seems to be the new trend."
We haven't been seeing as much of them recently. Probably because we've been seeing more flops than hits (9 to 5, Big Fish, Catch Me If You Can, Cry-Baby, Ghost, Honeymoon in Vegas, Leap of Faith, Legally Blonde, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Rocky, Shrek, Sister Act, The Wedding Singer, Young Frankenstein).
#7Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:22pm
This has been the trend since the success of The Producers and Hairspray.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#8Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:44pm
LOL, Broadway World just wrote this up as a news article with the phrase "BWW has just learned..." You're welcome, Broadway World!
UnwoundFantasies
Leading Actor Joined: 10/13/11
#9Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:54pm
This picture also has the casting list
https://instagram.com/p/BII9tJlhQw5/
#10Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:59pm
Dave is one of my favorite movies, but I don't see a musical there.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#11Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 1:59pm
Hope that actor had permission to post that on his instagram!!
#12Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 2:02pm
Stephanie Hsu is in the cast. I wonder if spongebob if she will return to spongebob if it transfers.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
rjm516
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/24/09
#13Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 2:42pm
Omg this was my FAVORITE movie as a kid! BDJ is perfect!
kristinj1
Stand-by Joined: 11/7/11
#14Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 2:59pm
"Why must every movie be made into a musical? This seems to be the new trend."
Seriously? Almost all successful musicals over time have been based on a pre-existing popular entertainment media... book, play, movie, etc. What real difference does it make what the original source of inspiration was, if the musical is good?
#15Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 3:35pm
kristinj1 said: ""Why must every movie be made into a musical? This seems to be the new trend."
Seriously? Almost all successful musicals over time have been based on a pre-existing popular entertainment media... book, play, movie, etc. What real difference does it make what the original source of inspiration was, if the musical is good?
"
THIS. I hate when people complain about movies being adapted for the stage. Pre-existing material HAS always and WILL always be adapted for the stage, weather its a book, play, movie, TV show, video game, board game, etc. Movies seem to be the most popular at the moment, but that doesn't mean all are destined to be horrible and fail.
#16Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 3:39pm
what even is the movie this is based on though? usually i feel like they should be pretty popular films, ya know, so people who've seen them go see the stage version
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
#17Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 3:42pm
Dave was a successful 1993 Ivan Reitman film starring Kevin Kline, a modest hit and well reviewed. Its screenplay was nominated for an Oscar, and Kline nominated for a Golden Globe.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Tom5
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/11
#18Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 3:47pm
It's no good, especially if the movie was popular, because there are likely to be no surprises in it. That kills the joy of watching an original story. You're watching an adaptation. The Producers was successful because the movie it was based on was basically forgotten. It was also very very very (3!) funny and exceptionally and imaginatively mounted and cast. As for Hairspray, pretty much the same. As for adaptations of books...who reads those anymore/
kristinj1
Stand-by Joined: 11/7/11
#19Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 4:40pm
Tom5 said: "It's no good, especially if the movie was popular, because there are likely to be no surprises in it. That kills the joy of watching an original story. You're watching an adaptation."
Honestly, if music and/or dance bring nothing new to the story (most often they bring emotional depth) then it is simply a bad musical. That has nothing at all to do with the source material. There are plenty of fully-original bad musicals.
ChiTheaterFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/15
#20Dave the Musical
Posted: 7/22/16 at 6:49pm
BDJ has had a string of decent runs. Of course this is just a reading, so who knows what will happen, but I sure hope it's good. Mostly because I really want Carmen to be in a successful show.
#21Dave the Musical
Posted: 9/3/17 at 8:23pm
Any more info on this? It's been over a year. I hope this show isn't dead.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#22Dave the Musical
Posted: 9/3/17 at 10:56pm
The movie was written by Gary Ross, who wrote and directed Pleasantville. There's a movie I always thought could be a great musical...if an absolutely brilliant team were in place for it.
#23Dave the Musical
Posted: 9/4/17 at 2:49am
I'd love to se Pleasentville adapted! I think Jason Robert Brown could write an amazing score.
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#24Dave the Musical
Posted: 9/4/17 at 4:21am
gleek4114 said: "kristinj1 said: ""Why must every movie be made into a musical? This seems to be the new trend."
Seriously? Almost all successful musicals over time have been based on a pre-existing popular entertainment media... book, play, movie, etc. What real difference does it make what the original source of inspiration was, if the musical is good?
"
THIS. I hate when people complain about movies being adapted for the stage. Pre-existing material HAS always and WILL always be adapted for the stage, weather its a book, play, movie, TV show, video game, board game, etc. Movies seem to be the most popular at the moment, but that doesn't mean all are destined to be horrible and fail.
"
Well, here's the difference, since it seems to be eluding everyone here: In the old days musicals did what they could to DISTANCE themselves from the source material - but that's not what's happening today, is it? No. No, today is about branding because a bunch of movie people are trying to get B'way to be like the movie business. So, you get Legally Blonde, you get Honeymoon in Vegas, you get 9 to 5, you get every film title as BRAND and usually with "The Musical" tacked on. You didn't get Green Grow the Lilacs, The Musical, you didn't get Liliom, The Musical, you didn't get The Apartment, The Musical, you didn't get The Matchmaker, The Musical, you didn't get Ah, Wilderness, The Musical, you didn't get Anna and the King of Siam, The Musical - and that's what each and every one of the above would be called today. But the creators back then wanted their musicals to survive on their own, not be dragged along by some movie brand. They wanted to create something NEW and they did. That's not what they do today and if you don't know that, well, I don't know how to help you.
#25Dave the Musical
Posted: 9/4/17 at 5:33am
bk that's a very fair point, but it doesn't negate the fact that it has always been the case that musicals have adapted other source material.
If we were to eradicate all adapted material musicals we would lose She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables (the last 3 all keeping the title of the original sources).
But the key point is about writing a new piece, rather than transferring slabs of the original screenplay and chucking in some vaguely suitable tunes.
If the writers of Dave are RE-CONCEIVING it as a musical, maybe it will be great, And it certainly shouldn't be written off just because a film was the source material.
