Elton John to Bring ANIMAL FARM Children's Musical to Broadway?

According to ContactMusic.com, Elton John is aiming to return to Broadway with a children's musical.

John's partner David Furnish told Britain's Hello! magazine, "Later this year we begin filming Rocketman, a biopic of Elton's early life. Towards the end of the year, we are also planning to open a children's musical on Broadway."

Read the original report here.

The Guardian reported in July 2010 that John is working on a musical adaptation of Animal Farm, based on George Orwell's novel. This is likely the "children's musical" to which Furnish is referring. The project has been in development since roughly 2008.

John won't be the first to tackle Animal Farm for the stage, though; Peter Hall previously adapted the political allegory into a musical with lyrics by Adrian Mitchell and music by Richard Peaslee.

John has written songs for Disney's The Lion King animated movie, which were later used on the Broadway stage, as well as music for Billy Elliot the Musical. He won a 2000 Tony Award for his work on Aida. John also produced Broadway's 2010 production of Next Fall.

In his four-decade career John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single "Candle in the Wind 1997" has sold over 33 million copies worldwide, and is the best selling single in Billboard history. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won six Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.

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