TO WONG FOO musical to premiere in the UK?

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 8:57am

The stage musical adaptation of the queer cult classic To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar is reportedly set to premiere in the UK, it has been rumoured.

The long-awaited stage musical adaptation is rumoured to premiere later this year.

The 1995 film stars Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as Noxeema, Vida, and Chi-Chi, three New York drag queens who embark on a road trip to enter a drag pageant in Los Angeles. The movie features performances and cameos by such queer icons as RuPaul, Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, and Naomi Campbell.

The Tony-nominated playwright and book writer Douglas Carter Beane (Sister Act, Xanadu, Lysistrata Jones), who made his screenwriting debut with the 1995 film, has written the book with music & lyrics by Lewis Flinn.

https://theatrefan.co.uk/rumour-to-wong-foo-thanks-for-everything-julie-newmar-the-musical-set-for-uk-premiere/

[pethian]

Posted: 5/5/23 at 3:47pm

Do we know how reliable this rumo(u)r is? I'd sure like it to be true.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:16am

I didn't realize Beane wrote this! This seem inevitable. Seems like a fun idea.

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:56am

This man's blog post seems to be made up entirely of rumored UK musical revivals...

[pethian]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:37pm

Owen22 said: "This man's blog post seems to be made up entirely of rumored UK musical revivals..."

Ah. I had hoped that was not the case. Too bad.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/6/23 at 12:54pm

Well, this adaptation of Wong Foo does exist. It's been worked on for quite a while and had a 2018 workshop with Santino Fontana, Daniel Breaker, and Robin de Jesus. I don't think a production in the near future is totally unlikely.

[Theatre Fan3]

Posted: 5/7/23 at 9:04am

Owen22 said: "This man's blog post seems to be made up entirely of rumored UK musical revivals..."

I'd like to think I have a decent track record by now lol

It is indeed happening later this year, with a Broadway choreographer also attached 👍

[Chaz Hands]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 10:04am

Theatre Fan3 said: "Owen22 said: "This man's blog post seems to be made up entirely of rumored UK musical revivals..."

I'd like to think I have a decent track record by now lol

It is indeed happening later this year, with a Broadway choreographer also attached ?"

https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/The-World-Premiere-Of-TO-WONG-FOO-The-Musical-Will-Open-At-Hope-Mill-Theatre-in-October-20230519

It doesn’t say who is choreographing, but it looks like the original poster was correct in saying a full production was coming. I just wish it wasn’t happening across the pond, so that I could go and see it.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 5:07pm

They better hurry up with this before they can only legally perform it in a handful of US states!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 8:37am

https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/to-wong-foo-the-musical-first-listen-of-feel-the-light_1514572/

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 1:18pm

I don't know why they went with a super compressed, autotuned first single. It's a 90's movie... why not take influence from house music and highlight the vocals? It sounds overproduced. Also, it made me think of Todrick's Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels which sounds much more modern and goes much harder. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 9/5/23 at 7:28am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Full-Cast-and-Creative-Team-Set-For-TO-WONG-FOO-THE-MUSICAL-at-Hope-Mill-Theatre-20230905

TO Wong Foo THE MUSICAL will star Peter Caulfield (Tammy Faye, Almeida Theatre; Jesus Christ Superstar, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Vida Boheme, Gregory Haney (TINA – The Tina TurnerMusical, West End; Hamilton, Original Broadway Production) as Noxeema Jackson and Pablo Gómez Jones (In Dreams, Leeds Playhouse; Les Misérables, Mexico City) as Chichi Rodríguez.

Joining them are Carolyn Maitland (Next To Normal, Donmar Warehouse; Jersey Boys, West End) as Carol Ann, Duncan Burt (FRIENDSICAL, UK Tour) as Sheriff Dollard, Alexander Kranz as Bobby Ray (professional debut), Arthur Boan (OKLAHOMA!, West End) as Tommy Paul, Ayesha Maynard (Hairspray, Kilworth House Theatre) as Beulah June, Emily Ooi (Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible Theatre) as Bobby Lee, Jermaine Woods (Sister Act, Eventim Apollo) as Willie Joe/John Jacob, Lee Harris (Les Misérables, West End) as Ed Earl/Crazy Elijah, Natalie Day (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Arts Theatre) as Mary Lou, Scott Hunter (The Play That Goes Wrong, West End) as Billy Budd, Susie Fenwick (Beautiful, UK Tour) as Clara Pearl, SAMANTHA BINGLEY (Beauty and the Beast, London Palladium) as Rose of Sharon Theo Maddix (Cabaret, The KitKat Club) as Rachel Tensions/Jimmy Jack. Also in the cast are Jamil Abbasi (Great British Bake-Off Musical, Noel Coward Theatre) and Megan Davies-Truin (Jerry Springer the Opera, Hope Mill Theatre).

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/5/23 at 8:40am

https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/to-wong-foo/

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 11/3/23 at 5:48pm

Reviews are out:

[The film’s] attitude and range is sadly not matched by lyricist Lewis Flinn’s score, played by a band of three, which often keeps this journey in the middle of the road

https://www.theguardian.com...

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 11/3/23 at 5:51pm

The show starts off brilliantly, with the drag competition… featuring an absolute belter of an opening number, the full company dancefloor earworm “Feel The Light” which almost stops the show before it begins... After that, a certain sense of anticlimax kicks in from which the show never quite recovers.

https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/to-wong-foo-the-musical-at-hope-mill-theatre-review_1541714/

 

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 11/3/23 at 6:05pm

It's a fun and idealistic show with a thin, predictable plot that may remind some of elements of Priscilla Queen of The Desert and Kinky Boots but without the depth of either of those shows. There is a fair amount of wit in the script, largely delivered by the excellent Haney as Noxeema, and an ending that probably deserves the overused word "feel-good". The songs vary in style from disco to 1940s female close-harmony (sung by the tyres on the car) to country to modern pop musical.

Theatre review: To Wong Foo: the Musical at Hope Mill Theatre (britishtheatreguide.info)

[BETTY22]

Posted: 11/5/23 at 7:23am

Friends saw it un UK and really enjoyed it.

"It might not be great theater but it sure is a fun night out."

They compared it to Kinky Boots......big heart and not afraid to show it.