From MOULIN ROUGE to THE WIZARD OF OZ: Top 5 Movie Musicals We Want to See on Broadway
By: Sally Henry May. 23, 2015
Broadway to movies. Movies to Broadway. Every other show on Broadway seems to be an adaptation of some movie, whether it's the recently announced THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA musical, or this season's AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. Our current Broadway season also includes multiple shows- not just musicals- that had a film adaptation in the past, including ON THE TOWN, GIGI, and FINDING NEVERLAND. Even so, there are still many old movie musicals written by legends like Irving Berlin and starring the likes of Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, that have yet to grace The Great White Way (or could stand to be revived).
So the question is, which well-known or forgotten Hollywood musicals will be next? Our wonderful readers weighed in, as they did last week, and came up with some great suggestions!
BWW readers say...
@little_hart: A musical that became a movie...A revival of Hello Dolly [starring Andrea McArdle]
@aaroncappello2: SUMMER STOCK
@Stefroz: Moulin Rouge or Shenandoah
@Kaylersx: I really want to see Tangled on Broadway!
Barbara Stein Smith: City of Angels!!
John Heidrich: Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Valerie Powell Maybrier: High Society. Such a fun story and great music
Ashley Claire Emrick: Moulin Rouge!
Chelsey Robichaud: Meet Me in St. Louis has a beautiful score and story of a family in the early 1900s. I would love to see this show as a revival on the Great White Way with the classic Trolley Song and bring Judy Garland's Esther to life.
Check out my Top 5 movie musicals that should come to Broadway!
THE BAND WAGON, 1953
Music and lyrics: Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Stars: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charise
Unlike some in this list, THE BAND WAGON was a Broadway show before a movie. The 1931 show starred Fred and Adele Astaire, with the film following thirty years later. Broadway fans may remember last year's ENCORES! production of this show, starring the brilliant Brian Stokes Mitchell and Laura Osnes. Unfortunately, that revamped version was not well-received by the critics, who overall said that the rewrites made it worse, and that as they are more singers than dancers, Osnes and Stokes Mitchell were ill suited for the roles (Click here to read the reviews). Had the ENCORES! production fared better, we might be expecting a Broadway revival, but that seems unlikely under the circumstances. Below, watch Astaire and Charise perform one of the very loveliest dances of all time, "Dancing in the Dark."
EASTER PARADE, 1948
Music and lyrics: Irving Berlin
Stars: Fred Astaire, Judy Garland
Just this year, a reimagined version of EASTER PARADE was workshopped in the UK, using the classic songs from the original film, like "Easter Parade," "It Only Happens When I Dance With You," "Steppin' Out With My Baby," plus additional Irving Berlin tunes. It's aiming for a 2016 West End debut, but no word on a possible Broadway transfer. So, who knows? What I do know, however, is that viewing the cute number below, "We're a Couple of Swells," has been known to relieve stress brought on by, say, a ridiculously hard Theatre History test.
A STAR IS BORN, 1954
Music and lyrics: Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin (plus a few songs by others, including Richard Rodgers)
Star: Judy Garland
BEFORE THE BABS FANS JUMP DOWN MY THROAT: I must say right off the bat that the Barbra Streisand version was a remake, released in 1976. Whew. Glad we got through that together. Anyway, the famous love theme and subsequent pop hit from A STAR IS BORN, "Evergreen," was added for the Streisand version as part of the entirely new song set by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher. But as ANNIE taught us, one remake is not enough, so there are currently plans to mount a remake starring Beyonce and directed by Bradley Cooper. Said film plans may throw a wrench in our Broadway revival plans, however. Below, watch Judy Garland perform "The Man That Got Away."
TOP HAT, 1935
Music and lyrics: Irving Berlin
Stars: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
With a score by the great American songwriter Irving Berlin, starring the legendary triple-threats Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who basically invented American dancing, TOP HAT is another classic musical. Theatre fans may recognize the title as one of the major winners in the 2013 Olivier Awards, winning Best New Musical, Best Choreographer (Bill Dreamer), and Best Costume Design (Jon Morrell). The show just completed a West End tour and has plans to go to Broadway, with a Christopher Gattelli-directed developmental lab beginning this week. I'd say this Broadway debut is definitely forthcoming! Now watch the lovely Astaire and Rogers perform, "Cheek to Cheek."
THE WIZARD OF OZ, 1939
Music and lyrics: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg
Stars: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley
Y'ALL! Of all the suggestions readers made, I was appalled to see that no one mentioned THE WIZARD OF OZ. In the words of the philosopher Phoebe Buffay, I was shocked to my very core. Almost as shocked as I was to discover that despite Broadway's "musical extravaganza in three acts" edition of THE WIZARD OF OZ at the turn of the century, and of course THE WIZ and WICKED, the MGM version has yet to open on Broadway. Nevertheless, it has been staged, and not just by the local middle school.
Eartha Kitt and Mickey Rooney led a North American tour in 1998 as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard, respectively, followed by a limited engagement at Madison Square Garden (though, the New York Times succinctly wrote of the latter, "Familiarity is omnipresent; pure enchantment is missing"). In just the last five years, a production enhanced with new Andrew Lloyd Webber songs played a successful run on both the West End, starring Michael Crawford and Danielle Hope, as well as at The Mirvish in Toronto, plus another North American tour. Naturally, the rumor mill is rife with THE WIZARD OF OZ Broadway buzz, and hopefully it's coming! Now watch the lovely Tony nominated Jennifer Damiano (NEXT TO NORMAL) sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
Last week's BWW question:
Which musical roles should Josh Gad play next?
Want to participate in a BroadwayWorld questionairre? Be on the lookout for our next one on social media this week!
Follow Sally Henry and her incorrigible Broadway history obsession on Twitter: @BwayGinger
Videos