Almost as fun as relishing the shows that are already running is anticipating the ones that are to come.
The other day my dad and I were talking and John Mellencamp, recent Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee, came up in conversation. He then asked me what I knew about his upcoming musical. The answer? Nothing. And then he said, "He's writing it with someone big." My interest was peaked and I made a mental note to Google this factoid.
Well, "not since Carrie" has a Stephen King story been adapted for the stage. And that holds true until April 2009 when the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta will produce the out-of-town tryout of King & Mellencamp's Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. From Alliance's Web site:
In 1957, in the tiny town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi, a terrible tragedy took the lives of two brothers and a beautiful young girl. During the next forty years, the events of that night became a local legend. But legend is often just another word for lie. Joe McCandless knows what really happened; he saw it all. The question is whether or not he can bring himself to tell the truth in order to save his own troubled sons, and whether the ghosts left behind by an act of violence will help him...or tear the McCandless family apart forever.
Stephen King’s script brings the power of suspense and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp brings a gritty rock and zydeco score to this World Premiere musical that’s certain to send chills up your spine.
Ghost Brothers' guitar-driven score is in the hands of two accoustic guitars, a fiddle and an accordion and early response to both the music and story seems pretty positive. At the helm is director Peter Askin, who directed Eve Ensler's The Good Body on Broadway and the Off-Broadway cult favorite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I'm also guessing that King's direct involvement, which was absent from the infamous musical flop that was Carrie, will work very much in this production's favor.
I'm hoping that my globetrotting friend Steve over at SOB works in a trip to Atlanta to see this one. I'm anxious to see if it is as good in reality as it is in concept. If all goes well, a Fall 2009 move to Broadway is planned, an event that I am keeping my fingers crossed will happen.
3 comments:
Hmmmm. Now that I know about it, thanks to you, I'll give this some seriously consideration. Thanks for the tip!
P.S. Next time we get together, we really, really must sit at the same end of the table!
You know, many of his songs are like small plays - I like this idea.
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