Jim Steinman, Steven Margoshes, Terry Jones, et al. Working on Musical Version of THE NUTCRACKER

According to his official website, Jim Steinman is busy working on lyrics for a new musical version of The Nutcracker. Titled Nutcracked, the musical will feature the classic music by Tchaikovsky with arrangements by Steven Margoshes. The show will include a book penned by Terry Jones.

He commented on the project: "This project has been a source of love & joy & massive creativity for me from the start. I'm as proud of it as anything I've ever done, (except Dream Engine in 1969 at Amherst College)." He promises: "It will have about FIFTEEN new songs. I swear at least three are potential #1's."

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Jim Steinman began his writing career in theatre with Joseph Papp and the NY Shakespeare Festival in 1969, after Papp was stunned by Dream Engine, a sensational rock opera Steinman wrote and starred in at Amherst College. Steinman moved to recording in 1977 when he wrote every song on the legendary Bat Out of Hell album sung by Meat Loaf, selling 44 million copies. In 1993 Steinman wrote and produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which sold 26 million copies.

Overall, Steinman’s repertoire has sold more than 190 million records. Top #1 songs include “Total Eclipse Of The Heart,” “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All,” “Paradise By The Dashboard Light,” “I’d Do Anything For Love But I Won’t Do That” and “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad.” His “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” won the 1997 BMI Song Of The Year Award. The same year, he earned a Grammy® for Album Of The Year for his work as producer for Celine Dion’s Falling Into You.

Moving back to theatre, Steinman wrote the music for Tanz Der Vampyr, now in its 16th year selling out in Europe. He is currently writing book, music and lyrics for the musical Bat Out Of Hell for Imminent Production and Nutcracked, a heavy metal version of The Nutcracker with lyrics set to a Tchaikovsky score. He also wrote the lyrics for the musical theater production Whistle Down the Wind, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, as well as music for films such as Footloose, Streets of Fire, The Shadow and Mask of Zorro.