These are very interesting times for the musical theatre scene.

Frank seems to be on a roll with “Carmen”, “Rudolf” and “The Count of Monte Cristo”, and then “Cyrano de Bergerac”, “Wonderland”, “Tears from Heaven” and (hopefully) “Havana” and “Bonnie & Clyde”. I couldn’t be more excited.

We have some controversial choices headed for the stage in the near future.



U2’s Bono and The Edge are working with director Julie Taymor on the most expensive stage production in Broadway history, “Spider-Man, Turn off the dark”. They are taking one of the biggest risks in theatrical history, especially considering the current climate. It’s definitely “wait and see” with this one.

www.spidermanonbroadway.com



On the other side of the pond, Andrew Lloyd Webber is actually moving ahead with the production of the sequel to “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Love never dies”. An infamous project that’s been in (on and off) development since the publication of Frederick Forsyth’s “The Phantom of Manhattan”, the story follows the Phantom’s miraculous escape to Coney Island and reunion with Christine Daae. There are some really talented people involved, Glenn Slater who wrote the new lyrics for “The Little Mermaid, A Broadway Musical” and one of my favourite new lyricists; Jack O’Brien who directed “The Coast of Utopia” trilogy by Tom Stoppard and more; Bob Crowley, one of the most exciting designers in recent times; Jerry Mitchell and more.

Will “Love never dies” become a surprise smash or an epic disaster? It’s way too interesting!

Watch out for the concept album featuring a 90-piece orchestra.

www.loveneverdies.com

The composer of the other great vampire musical, Jim Steinman, still has plans to produce “Bat out of Hell” the epic rock spectacular based on his life’s work “Neverland”. This would include his greatest hits from the “Bat out of Hell” albums and new material.

There are plans for an “Addam’s Family” musical, “The Flintstones”, “The First Wives Club”, an English production of the hit Viennese musical “Rebecca”, more vampires, Frankenstein and Pompeii related musicals and hopefully the Broadway production of Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz and James Lapine’s Berlin masterpiece “The Bell-Ringer of Notre Dame”.

Well I am planning a trip to New York in April 2010, so hopefully they will have some new productions on the stage.

Spiderman, I just cannot picture as a musical, just can't see it. So if it's on the stage in 2010, I just might have to give it a try and hopefully have a nice surprise and enjoy it. :D

I dunno if I'll catch Disaster Never Dies in London, but when Rebecca goes B'way I'm sure I'll make a trip across the Atlantic to NY to see it! :D

"Bell-Ringer"? Has "Hunchback" been deemed too politically incorrect? I haven't been following this project too much. However, I would agree that it's one of Menken's finest scores.

LOL no, probably that was only a literal translation from "Glöckner". Rest assured that the title is still Hunchback :P
I would really like to see that one staged in english, though I doubt B'way will stage it with the german script. Mainly 'cause B'way is in this "family-friend" mood and the stage version of Hunchback was re-written to get closer to the book...meaning Quasimodo does murder Frollo in the end. :D

God, I hope they don't ruin it. The Berlin production would be one of the greatest breakthroughs in Disney/Broadway history if they did it that way in New York.