[RainbowJude]

It's been a play and adapted for the movies twice - now Roald Dahl's most popular novel is making its way to the musical stage, with a book by David Greig and a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Does this mean it will be set in the 1960s with a whole bunch of pastiche numbers? Between Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can, Shaiman and Wittman don't seem to do much else. OK, yes, there was the stuff in the Martin Short show, but meh...

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Shaiman and Wittman can do pastiche of just about everything, but the Sixties seems to be a favorite of theirs, between the pop music of the time and the Rat Pack variety-show era.

God alone knows where they're going to go with this musical version, but I'm excited to see. (Although it almost seems like overkill, with two other musical versions by big-name composers already.)

[Yakko]

Damn it..........

[kozafluitmusique]

As I have loved this book for about two thirds of my life...
.
WHY??? The original with Gene Wilder already has some musical numbers. Grawr.

[Luc]

The production I'm in right now is absolutely wonderful. Music from the film, a few direct quotes from both the film and novel... I don't know what else anyone could ask for.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

The one you're doing is one I'm familiar with... it's a Junior Edition only, like Mulan Jr. or Aladdin Jr.

There is no version optimized for professional or adult performances.

[Luc]

[Monsieur D'Arque]

I see. I was simply not aware that the full-lengther was licensed.

[Luc]

I think most of the difference is in the book. There is no demo recording of the two-act version, but the Jr. Demo CD follows along quite closely with this version.

[WickedToo]

I personally don't see the need to do a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical because there's 2 movies and a regular and jr stage version of the show that licensed by MTI. I just think it's overkill. There's other things that could be musicals and this just takes up space. It'll probably be a great show but I don't think there should be a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory production.

[Heavylove]

Well as for me, if it can be done do it! What I dont get is how you manage to pack down that journey kinda story (you go from one location to another and see all the wounders basicly) and make a workable musical off it. But I like charliee story and it would definately be a big hit among children off all ages.

[RainbowJude]

[Brother Marvin Hinten, S.]

No musical number Shaiman and Wittman could come up with will ever replace the simple beauty of "Pure Imagination." By doing this, for better or worse, they are shitting all over my memories of this story, and into the bargain they find themselves treading on dangerously similar ground to Andrew Lloyd Webber's proposed additions to The Wizard of Oz. Gentlemen, please, find some other property. Don't cheapen the memories of millions.

[DrewFromNY]

There is a musical version of the book with songs from the movie (Bricusse, Newley) that was adapted by Timothy McDonald. You can see more about it at www.mtishows.com. I hope the Shaiman Wittman score is fantastic--the source material is so wonderful it would make a great show. Meantime, hundreds of schools present Willy Wonka every year.