Interview: Spencer Proffer Wants to Bring 'American Pie' to Broadway

A new documentary on Paramount+ takes a closer look at Don McLean's iconic song "American Pie," exploring the song's deep narratives and underlying messages.

To help bring the documentary to life, McLean enlisted music producer and songwriter Spencer Proffer. Proffer and McLean's way of tell the story of this special and unique song through the new documentary is just the beginning.

Proffer is currently developing a new musical based on "American Pie." With the help of McLean, Corey Brunish, and Russell Miller, the Broadway-bound musical plans to incorporate McLean's work into a new and interactive musical.

BroadwayWorld caught up with Proffer to discuss The Day the Music Died: the Story of Don McLean's "American Pie," the "American Pie" musical's Broadway future, and how he is working with Stephen Schwartz on a new documentary.

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What initially drew you to the story of Don McLean's "American Pie?"

When I was student UCLA and had just started law school, the song came out and made me pull over my car ride because most singles at the time on radio were three and a half minutes. I heard this eight minute saga that had social political overtones and things that made me question what was going on in America and, being a political science major and being in law school, it really touched my soul.

I didn't know that 50 years later I would be the guy that Don McClean had asked to produce a doc on what he actually created as a brilliant poet. So what got me into it was 50 some odd years ago when I was in school, hearing it being moved by it and then later coming to the conclusion that I could create a film that would speak to not only who Don was before he wrote it, but what happened to the journey of the song after he wrote it.

What will this documentary sort of tell people that they may not have previously known about the song?

Don actually opened up saying this would be the time to pull a curtain behind a lot of the lyrics. Who was "the jester?" Who was "the king?" What, what did "marching" really mean? Was it civil rights? Was it a marching band? All of those questions that rock radio and journalists had asked for the last 50 years will be revealed and are revealed in this documentary.

You're working on an "American Pie" musical that you're bringing to Broadway, does this musical follow the same path that the documentary does?

I'm in development with two fellows, one is Corey Brunish, Corey's got a multitude of Tonys, he was last involved with [Beautiful: the Carole King Musical] and Come From Away, and Russell Miller. Russell is a English dude who ran a lot of West End theaters and they are partnering with me and Don to take the essence of what I've done with the documentary and to add elements of more writings from Don. We haven't yet sculpted the show, cause it takes a minute, but we are committed to doing it. Don is committed to partnering with us.

So I will produce the show with Corey and Russell. Don will be kind of like an executive producer, as he was to my doc. But he will be integrally involved because it's his journey, it's his music, but we are gonna kick the doc to another level. But I think it'll involve more of his writings.

Remember, Don wrote "Castles in the Air," Don wrote "Vincent." Don has written some fantastic, iconic songs. Why shouldn't they, not as a jukebox musical, but why can't they be woven into some storytelling that could be magical on stage and interactive with the audience, which is kinda where I see it headed.

Why do you think that American Pie and Don's work lends its lends itself so well to the musical setting?

Well, because it's musical, it's cultural, it's emotional, it's spiritual. It's deeper than just the generic stuff. In other words, I'm a big, big fan of the theater. That's how I got involved with Stephen Schwartz. I was introduced by Corey, who had worked on the revival of Pippin for Stephen, which is pretty cool.

I read Stephen's book, "Defying Gravity," I was so moved by it, not just by the song, but by Stephen's journey from Godspell to Pippin, to Prince of Egypt, to Pocohontas. I thought to myself, I'm all about the art and profiling artists in a way from behind the curtain. Don is that artist and so is Stephen, so it's very logical for me to take Don's work, which lends itself to not only the stage, but to interactive feelings by the audience and bringing it to life on the stage, which I think will be magnificent.

You mentioned that you're working with Stephen Schwartz. What can fans of Stephen Schwartz's work expect from this new documentary about him?

They can expect to see his journey to creating the work. They can expect to get goosebumps like Stephen did when he created it. Stephen is a pure artist. They trust me to get deep into their soul and bring it commercially so we can give it to the public. I'm really a fan of the artists. I'm a big fan of Stephen Schwartz, but I'm not a suit. I'm actually someone who will feel the goosebumps.

There are very exciting things happening in Schwartz's career right now. You mentioned "Defying Gravity" and so many people are looking forward to the Wicked movie adaption. Can we expect to see any of his work for the film featured in this documentary?

Expect to see elements of early Wicked, current Wicked ... Of course we not only pay homage, but we take a journey through all of Stephen's work.

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Watch the trailer for The Day the Music Died: the Story of Don McLean's "American Pie" here: