Harry Potter- The Musical (Not to be Confused with A Very Potter Musical)

[jagfkb]

Posted: 4/16/10 at 11:52pm

So, should a Harry Potter musical ever be created, here's what I'd love to see:

A four part musical, each part encompassing different books in the series:

Part 1- Books 1-3
Part 2- Book 4
Part 3- Books 5-6
Part 4- Book 7

To make this work without having each part be five hours long, cuts would obviously have to be made, and I'd suggest never mentioning how long Harry is at Hogwarts for, or the summer breaks except where truly neccessary. Not only does this condense the material more, but also keeps the action continuous. Also, since each part is it's own separate musical, and the story is of Harry rising up as a powerful boy-wizard, why not let the music and style of each musical reflect each part separately (with some crossover inevitable). Here's what I propose:

Terrence McNally & Lee Hall- Book Writers for All Four Parts

Part One: (In the style of a traditional book musical (Think the classics of the 50s and 60s)) Music & Lyrics by Stephen Flatery & Lynn Ahrens

Part Two: (In the style of early Sondheim/ Kander & Ebb) Music & Lyrics by Howard Ashman(Music) & Stephen Schwartz(Music & Lyrics)

Part Three: (In the style of late Sondheim/ Andrew Lloyd Webber) Music & Lyrics by Lucy Simon(Music) & Jason Robert Brown(Music & Lyrics)

Part Four: (In the style of modern rock & chamber musical) Music & Lyrics by Tom Kitt, Duncan Shiek(Both Music), & Adam Guettel (Music & Lyrics)

I also feel that, in every part, music from the movie's beautiful scores should be used, especially the choir piece from the third movie and the Harry Potter waltz. Though this would perhaps be the most ambitious theatrical prject ever created, requiring four separate teams to collaborate together, like how the movies each have their own distinct style, it could create something bold, brash, and new.

Also, while I'm still fantasizing here, Marcia Milgrom Dodge gets my vote for director. Her edgy vibe could be just what this piece needs to be translated to the stage. Any other thoughts, ideas? comments?

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 12:25am

If Guettel is ever going to write another score, I don't want it to be shared with Sheik and Kitt.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 12:53am

I think it's great you've put so much thought into such an idea; but the question to me is, why? Why does HP have to be musicalized? I mean, what just screams musicalization about it? Sure, it would sell like hotcakes (and by the way, ALW has tried in vain to ask JK Rowling for the rights for a musical and she declined him) but I just wouldn't really see what the point is...to me none of the characters have any reason to sing- and I feel like a lot of the tensions in the battle scenes would be lost and very hard to stage...and the actors to play all those kids aging throughout that span of time?

If it was to be musicalized, I feel as if it would have to really be an opera or dramatized. A musical would be too tough I think...but as I said, I don't see WHY the characters need to sing- but someone could make that argument about Lestat or Carrie, which I love- but in totally different respects than I could love either books.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 2:06am

HP would have to be an Opera at The Metropolitan Opera House in a 3 or 4 part series like Wagers The Ring Cycle

[MichaelUK92]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 2:35am

Lee Hall? But he can't write a book.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 2:44am

They should do it at Circle in the Square! do some Marathon days where the robots--err--"actors" do 4 shows!

[hotjohn]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 7:09am

I once had a very detailed and vivid dream where I witnessed a Harry Potter musical including the opening number 'Underneath The Stairs Where I Live' and the scene where Hagrid explains 'You're A Wizard Harry Potter, You're A Wizard'.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 10:50am

I can see where you're going with this; as Harry goes through schools, the musical format progresses through time. I like it. It's a cute idea. But, and this is not me being a pessimist or raining on your parade, it will never happen. If someone actually writes a Harry Potter musical, they won't invest time and effort into such an enterprise as a rambling history of American musical theater.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 2:30pm

Also, it's gonna be hard to get Ashman these days...he tends to show up to these things usually looking half-dead and "corpse-like", as one person remarked.

I could only imagine an Ashman/Schwartz score for Potter- I think Harry's opening song- to elaborate with hotjohn should be "Under the Stairs", or hell "Somewhere that's not-infested-by-assholes-that-abuse-me", would suffice?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/17/10 at 2:39pm

(and by the way, ALW has tried in vain to ask JK Rowling for the rights for a musical and she declined him)

Rowling is very protective of the character and stories, and only accepts projects where she gets a large amount of creative control over what is done. This is why the theme park idea went to Universal and not Disney. Disney wouldn't give her the creative control she wanted.

As for her turning down ALW....she's a wise woman.