Maybe this is well-known to fans, but I was watching a Graham Norton Show on BBC America and he had ALW as a guest. He mentioned he is writing a sequel to Phantom Of The Opera to be set in the USA this time. First I have heard of it.
…not encouraging.
There were rumors that Tim Rice was doing the lyrics, but it looks like it’s going to be Glenn Slater
“Phantom of New York” is I believe the working title. He has said that he was almost done with it but his cat got into his computer and deleted it.
Give that cat a medal, I sez.
Revenge for it not being a sequel to Cats, probably…
Oh, God, no!
It sounds as if it’s based on this Book: The Phantom of Manhattan:
I’m a Fredrick Forsyth fan, and even I hate that book!
Forsyth and Webber are apparently friends, which explains Forsyth’s weird choice in writing it, and Webber’s decision to turn it into a musical: http://www.themysteryreader.com/forsyth-phantom.html
Be afraid. Be very afraid. This has “craptacular” written all over it.
In 10-minute intertwined vocal counterpoint.
Way back when, Lloyd Webber wrote the music for the movie of Forsyth’s “Odessa File.”
This idea has been kicking around longer than the plans for the English version of Benny & Bjorn’s “Kristina fran Duvelma.” I’m not holding my breath.
[quotwe]Way back when, Lloyd Webber wrote the music for the movie of Forsyth’s “Odessa File.”
[/quote]
I was very surprised when I noticed that, many years ago.
But that wouldn’t have required them to meet. Plenty of scori ng musicians never have any interaction with the bulk of the film’s creators. I was surprised to learn that they were friends.
ALW also did the score for the movie “Gumshoe” starring Albert Finney.
I first heard he was planning on a sequel back in Feb 2007. I was hoping that when his cat Otto destroyed the music that would be the end of it, but unfortunately he seems intent on actually creating this debacle. I don’t know anyone who is looking forward to it, and I have no idea who his audience would be. People who love Phantom think the book “Phantom of Manhattan” is a travesty and that a sequel will ruin the mysterious ending of the first one, and people who hate Phantom won’t see it either. There’s no possible way it will be as successful as the first. I really wish this never actually comes to fruition. One of the worst ideas I have ever heard for a Broadway show.
Not that I think a new Phantom musical is going to be good or anything, but are you serious about this statement?
If someone had told you in 1971 that they were writing a great musical about a crossdressing mad scientist, his Frankenstein Adonis, and two whitebread visitors to his castle, would you have thought “Wow! That’s a great idea for a musical!”?
If someone had told you in 1998 that they were writing a great musical about a world where you must pay to urinate, or else be sent into exile, would you have thought “Wow! That’s a great idea for a musical!”?
If someone had told you in 1995 that they were writing a great musical that all but deifies Bat Boy, the bat/human hybrid of numerous Weekly World News articles, would you have thought “Wow! That’s a great idea for a musical!”?
Like I said, I’m not defending Lloyd-Webber’s plans to write another Phantom. But some of the most absurd ideas have become some of the best or most popular musicals…
And ideas that must’ve seemed surefire (or at least plausible) have failed miserably.
Carrie, anyone?
or Via Galactica, the science fiction musical?
Heh heh heh…
Coincidentally I am listening to some bootlegs of the Broadway production right now. I would kill to see this show. It’s a strong story and the music is solid; if they could have sorted out the technical difficulties it might have done quite well. It’s too bad the rights holders won’t let anyone try a revival or even a workshop.
Mongomery Burns: Why not write a musical about the King of Siam or the common pussycat?
The cat Otto, btw, was actually an advanced robot sent back in time to prevent the creation of the musical, which will inevitably lead to the end of human civilization.
Didn’t I hear some story about a bunch of kids putting on this show at a theatre summer camp (unlicensed), and having the composer show up in the audience and like the show so much he let them continue to run it?
I know that sounds like a corny movie plot, but I’d swear it was real…
There’s a reason that this is a camp classic. 
Anyway, her post made me think of a New York Times article I read this morning. It’s about a historic flop I’d never even heard of called… wait for it… Moose Murders.
On another note, my girlfriend was one of the few people who saw The Times They Are a-Changin’. I kept screwing up the title of this show, and thinking it was named for a different Dylan song, I wrote the title here as “Bowlin’ in the Wind.” Now I want to go home and write that play!
Isn’t that the plot of the movie Camp?