Alex Brightman to Lead BEETLEJUICE in D.C.- Page 3

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 12:42pm

Love Rob, but kind of wish Danny Pudi was continuing on with the project.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 12:43pm

Brightman seems great for this, but I just hope they don't ruin it with a bunch of musical theater shtick and power ballads. But with Kritzer, I'm def looking into a day trip to DC. 

And agree about composing writing high notes for no reason. I saw Anatasia the other night and there's no reason Dimitri needs to belt out this super high note at the end of his big song. The moment doesn't call for it and it seems extraneous. 

 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 12:50pm

Pudi would have been great - wonder what happened?  Rob will do a nice job.

Great casting of Kritzer and Kevin Loh as Otho.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 1:20pm

Once again, we are left with as many questions as answers. Fortunately, we're only two months away, at most, from our first look at the material.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 1:44pm

From what I've heard from folks who have been involved, no one should be expecting a slavish recreation of the film.

Updated On: 8/22/18 at 01:44 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 3:30pm

That's good... probably. "Beetlejuice" is one of my favorites, but it's a mostly plotless film that only really works as a series of vignettes and set pieces, many of which were partially improvised. It's almost like a Dali painting or Mark Ryden drawing come to garish life. Veer too close to the film and you'll lose any sense of magic; veer too far away and it's likely that what you'll create misses the highly specific appeal of "Beetlejuice" entirely. (See: "Monkeybone," which tried and failed to capture the specific tone and visual world of the film.)

Will they stick the landing? Here's hoping!

[Kad]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 3:37pm

Oh wow, I haven't thought about Monkeybone since it came out 17 years ago.

[Keiichi2]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 4:10pm

Am I the only one who is hoping they will use Elfman's theme (or at least part of it) as an overture, or for music during scene transitions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZktSPrGSck

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 4:30pm

My guess is this: like Shrek, by the time the show comes to Broadway the exit music or bows will incorporate either a quote of the iconic "Beetlejuice" motif, or will play a rendition of it outright. But the Washington DC opening will be without it, both to test how the music stands up on its own and to avoid the rather expensive Danny Elfman licensing fee (he is not known to work hand-in-hand with the musical theatre world, and is unlikely to cut them an easy deal) while they're still trying to capitalize their investments on the show itself.

[Tag]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 4:50pm

If you're going to adapt Beetlejuice into a musical and not use the Elfman theme or the Banana Boat Song, then what's the point.  Countless musicals as of late have discovered this, notably Charlie not using most of the original score in the West End version was a huge mistake.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/22/18 at 7:03pm

The rights to Day-O will be cheap as free, since it’s a folk song derivative. I suspect you won’t be heading them lip sync to the Belafonfe song- it’ll be a musical number.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:20pm

Judging by this video, I’d think the banana boat song will be included in the show.

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:39pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Judging by this video, I’d think the banana boat song will be included in the show."

Which video?

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:53pm

The preview on Instagram. It’s just what appears to be Alex and Sophie singing the “Day-O” intro, the way the film’s overture begins with Danny Elfman singing it.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:57pm

Doesn't WB own the score to their film? (Genuine question, not sure how that works.)

[freewilma]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 9:49am

wish i were here2 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Judging by this video, I’d think the banana boat song will be included in the show."

Which video?"

Here you go......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_mc31YLjEM

 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 9:59am

Oh wow, I love the sound of Sophia's voice

[CaseyBrent41]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 10:07am

I really hope its its own thing an homage to the movie and imagery of the movie. The movie doesn't really have a plot or not a 2.5 hour plot. I think they'll use some of the Elfman score even if its suggestive. They're biggest struggle will be figuring out how to honor the imagery and score from the movie...but in terms of plot as long as the characters are there that's where they can really expand. 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 10:23am

I love that preview! Seems like the Banana Boat song is somehow a part of it. It would be weird to use it for promos, then nothing, right?

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 11:40am

The Banana Boat Song is a folk song- Harry Belafonte didn't write it, nor is his version an immense revision/reimagining. Much like "House of the Rising Sun," it's a song where most uses are viably public domain, or at least not a huge and expensive licensing issue.

I would bet that it's going to be a musical number, and not a lip-sync like in the movie; I'm curious if they'll justify this in the play, as in the movie it makes sense due to the Maitlands being Belafonte fanatics who listen to his records. (Fun fact: in the original, more plot-centric screenplay, the Maitlands were fans of the Ink Spots instead of Belafonte, and the lip-sync scene was to "Sh-Boom."

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 1:11pm

In a little more than a week, all our curiosity will be satisfied. Confirming an earlier suspicion, the role of Mrs. Shoggoth previously played by Carole Shelley is now a role doubled by the actor playing Maxine Dean.

[Kad]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 3:09pm

The Banana Boat scene is the most famous scene from the film, so I think that is probably one thing they can't really subvert. (Even if it is lip-synced, Leslie Kritzer will make a meal out of it).

[IloveNYC2]

Posted: 10/7/18 at 8:59pm

I am hoping this to be good.

 

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/7/18 at 10:05pm

Banana Boat Song is officially confirmed to be in.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 10/10/18 at 10:53am

Tickets are now on sale for the Broadway run. They start at $79.