# Has a stage production ever lead to two different musicals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954 "2010-12-13T04:24:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/1 "2010-12-13T04:24:53Z")
Just like the title says: Has a stage production ever lead to two entirely different musicals? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/2 "2010-12-13T04:35:13Z")
Romeo and Juliet. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/3 "2010-12-13T06:29:05Z")
Arguably, the really old school [Passion play](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_play) inspired both [Jesus Christ Superstar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Christ_Superstar) and [Godspell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godspell). ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/4 "2010-12-13T10:26:16Z")
Would THE WIZARD of OZ THE WIZ WICKED count? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/5 "2010-12-13T12:04:59Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > Would THE WIZARD of OZ > > THE WIZ > > WICKED > > count? Was it first known as a dramatic play? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/6 "2010-12-13T12:06:22Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Arguably, the really old school [Passion play](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_play) inspired both [Jesus Christ Superstar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Christ_Superstar) and [Godspell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godspell). Only if they officially acknowledged it in the credits. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/7 "2010-12-13T12:45:59Z")
What are you counting as “musical”? If you count opera, several have multiple settings, particularly Shakespeare. The aforementioned _Romeo and Juliet_ has been set several times. There are at least two settings of _Othello_ and a couple of _The Merry Wives of Windsor_. I’m sure there are others. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/8 "2010-12-13T13:16:03Z")
Peter Pan was a play before it was a novel. There have been numerous several musical adaptations. Or at least shows with a few songs in them. Would you count the Disney film as a Musical? There was a [1954](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_%281954_musical%29) stage musical. And a [current one.](http://www.peterpanthemusical.com/) Probably lots of them. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/9 "2010-12-13T14:54:01Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > Would THE WIZARD of OZ > > THE WIZ > > WICKED > > count? Not reaaly, Wicked is a “prequel,” and was inspired by Gregory Macguire’s stunning book. [Phantom of the Opera](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(adaptations)#Stage) has been adapted several times, but Lloyd Webber’s is obviously the best known. Prior to Mamma Mia!, ABBA music, set with new lyrics, was the basis for a children’s musical called “Abbacadabra.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/10 "2010-12-13T15:26:12Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Peter Pan was a play before it was a novel. There have been numerous several musical adaptations. Or at least shows with a few songs in them. Would you count the Disney film as a Musical? There was a [1954](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_%281954_musical%29) stage musical. And a [current one.](http://www.peterpanthemusical.com/) Probably lots of them. It looks as if all the adaptations are using pretty much the same music and settings, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/11 "2010-12-13T15:28:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Not reaaly, Wicked is a “prequel,” and was inspired by Gregory Macguire’s stunning book. > > [Phantom of the Opera](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(adaptations)#Stage) has been adapted several times, but Lloyd Webber’s is obviously the best known. Were any of them musicals? > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Prior to Mamma Mia!, ABBA music, set with new lyrics, was the basis for a children’s musical called “Abbacadabra.” But no previous non-musical stage production, though. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/12 "2010-12-13T15:29:49Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > What are you counting as “musical”? If you count opera, several have multiple settings, particularly Shakespeare. > > The aforementioned _Romeo and Juliet_ has been set several times. There are at least two settings of _Othello_ and a couple of _The Merry Wives of Windsor_. I’m sure there are others. If we are talking about totally different scores, then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/13 "2010-12-13T15:38:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Were any of them musicals? [Yes indeed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(adaptations)#Stage). Yeston & Kopit’s _Phantom_ has a fantastic score and would have definitely made it to Broadway had you-know-who not done his at the same time. Seropis;u. :;pud Webber killed the idea of a musical for anyone else to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/14 "2010-12-13T15:57:45Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Yes indeed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(adaptations)#Stage). Yeston & Kopit’s _Phantom_ has a fantastic score and would have definitely made it to Broadway had you-know-who not done his at the same time. Seropis;u. :;pud Webber killed the idea of a musical for anyone else to do it. It qualifies, then-thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/15 "2010-12-13T16:07:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It looks as if all the adaptations are using pretty much the same music and settings, though. Same settings, yes. That’s a no-brainer. Of course different adaptions of the same source material will have the same settings. Same music, though, I don’t see. [Here’s some songs](http://www.peterpanthemusical.com/licence/the-songs.html) from the current one. I don’t see Never Smile at a Crocodile (from the Disney version) there, nor in the 1954 version. Each of the three have different songwriting credits. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/16 "2010-12-13T16:09:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It qualifies, then-thank you. Does it? Were the two musicals based on a stage production? I thought they were based on the novel. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/17 "2010-12-13T17:50:11Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Same settings, yes. That’s a no-brainer. Of course different adaptions of the same source material will have the same settings. > > Same music, though, I don’t see. > [Here’s some songs](http://www.peterpanthemusical.com/licence/the-songs.html) from the current one. I don’t see Never Smile at a Crocodile (from the Disney version) there, nor in the 1954 version. Each of the three have different songwriting credits. I retract, then-it qualifies. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/18 "2010-12-13T18:19:27Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > What are you counting as “musical”? If you count opera, several have multiple settings, particularly Shakespeare. > > The aforementioned _Romeo and Juliet_ has been set several times. There are at least two settings of _Othello_ and a couple of _The Merry Wives of Windsor_. I’m sure there are others. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > If we are talking about totally different scores, then yes. They are. Off the top of my head, _I Capuletti e i Montecchi_ by Bellini and _Romeo et Juliette_ by Gounod for _Romeo and Juliet_ (plus _West side Story_); Rossini and Verdi both wrote an _Otello_ in completely different styles; Otto Nicolai wrote _Die lustige Weibern von Windsor_ and Verdi wrote _Falstaff_, which is mostly based on _The Merry Wives of Windsor_ with some insertions from _Henry IV_. There are undoubtedly others. Shakespeare was popular among opera composers, especially in the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/19 "2010-12-13T19:40:11Z")
[La Vie de Boheme](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Vie_de_Boh%C3%A8me), a novel that became a stage production that inspired two separated operas with the same title: La bohème by Giacomo Puccini in 1896 and La bohème by Ruggero Leoncavallo in 1897. The former formed the basis for Jonathan Larsen’s opus _Rent_. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954/20 "2010-12-14T07:03:08Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Yes indeed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(adaptations)#Stage). Yeston & Kopit’s _Phantom_ has a fantastic score and would have definitely made it to Broadway had you-know-who not done his at the same time. Seropis;u. :;pud Webber killed the idea of a musical for anyone else to do it. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > It qualifies, then-thank you. **Phantom of the Opera** began as a 1911 novel by Gaston Leroux. Any stage production that followed was based upon that original novel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-stage-production-ever-lead-to-two-different-musicals/563954.md?page=2)