THE STING To Play on Broadway- Page 2

Posted: 5/28/14 at 3:00pm

Indeed- The Entertainer existed long before The Sting popularized it. If the sheet music says that it's probably just to reassure people this is the song they are looking for.

The main problem musicalizing The Sting (apart from the "Why?" question) is that the plot is meticulously timed out. Adding songs slows a story down. Is the Audience going to enjoy that ending more if Hooker has a three minute song before he pulls that trigger? Does that card game need music?

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 4:18pm

That, to me, is the biggest obstacle- "The Sting" may not be the guns and explosions kind of film, but it is still in structure an action story- one in which the physical actions and their outcome moves the plot as much as character, dialogue or emotion. These things are hard to musicalize well, much less stage well at all.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 5:19pm

I can't imagine anyone writing a musical today without having a major female role and a major love story at its core. Are there any successes anyone can name that have managed without it?

I suppose you could say HAIR had no major love story, and I suppose Kinky Boots has no major women's roles, but to avoid both sounds like commercial suicide (or just a guarantee for boredom).

[newintown]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 5:22pm

They could really depart from the source material and really do an "adaptation," but that's pretty rare these days, particularly when the source material is as famous as this.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 5:24pm

In thinking this through, I realize there are more shows that fall in this category (no love story and no major women's parts) than I care to remember-- SPAMALOT (a show I detested) and BILLY ELLIOTT (a show I loved) both lacked a conventional love story.

But at least they had key roles for women... (he said wanly).
Updated On: 5/28/14 at 05:24 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 6:43pm

Norbert Leo Butz as Paul Newman, Cheyenne Jackson as Robert Redford, Andre De Shields as Robert Earl Jones, Shuler Hensley as Robert Shaw, Beth Leavel as Eileen Brennan.

I just watched "The Sting" again recently in my Best Picture jag, and it's a damn good movie. I agree, the timing/pacing is essential. It's also essential to make it stylized, but it doesn't have to be anachronistic ragtime music and Norman Rockwell section cards on screen to do the trick. In fact, I hope they steer clear of the original movie and come up with their own stylized approach to the story.

But tell the story. It's a good one.

it's also very theatrical, and it lends itself nicely to a stage adaptation. I have high hopes (he says, remembering how he felt about Bullets Over Broadway when it was announced).

Updated On: 5/30/14 at 06:43 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 6:56pm

Isn't the Love story between the 2 men?

With Bob Martin involved I can't help wonder if there will be a bit of tongue-in-cheek.

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 6:59pm

isn't the only female character played by Eileen Brennan? and she's like a brothel owner? hopefully they keep that character and give her a fun song to sing.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 7:12pm

The Sting-The Musical-sounds a bit moronic though couldn't be Sting-the Musical and please,not another Norbert in a hat doing that frenetic,bent knees all over the place thing he always does.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 7:25pm

How about The Thomas Crown Affair The Musical?

[SweetLips]

Posted: 5/28/14 at 7:44pm

That's no sillier than Barbarella The Musical

Posted: 5/28/14 at 10:02pm

Hooker does have a relationship of sorts with the diner waitress.