# What musicals based on albums/CDs, or a band's repertoire, should Broadway do next?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 3, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547 "2010-02-03T17:18:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/1 "2010-02-03T17:18:17Z")
With “American Idiot”, a musical based on Green Day’s CD, opening soon, Broadway hopes to have a hit with success like that of other musicals based on the works of rock/pop artists.
Just off the top of my head:
_Movin’ Out_ (Billy Joel)
_Mamma Mia_ (ABBA)
The Who’s _Tommy_
_Jersey Boys_ (Four Seasons)
There are probably others. My question is, what musical acts and/or albums should Broadway next adapt?
My candidate is _The Lamb lies Down On Broadway_ by Genesis. It wouldn’t need much changing, except updating (specifically _Broadway Melody of 1974_, and less graffitti by Rael).
Other candidates?
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### Author:  [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/2 "2010-02-03T17:19:51Z")
Steely Dan.
Their songs are very story-oriented; they tell a tale. They’re also very suitable to the stage and to Broadway audiences… as opposed to say, Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche…
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/3 "2010-02-03T17:26:42Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#):
>
> Steely Dan.
>
> Their songs are very story-oriented; they tell a tale. They’re also very suitable to the stage and to Broadway audiences… as opposed to say, Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche…
I don’t know that Mindcrime would be unsuitable. Broadway likes edgy now, and since Mindcrime is over 20 years old, those who listened to it when it first came out are now 35-50 years old, an age group that definitely goes to Boradway shows.
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/4 "2010-02-03T17:28:25Z")
Also, I can’t spell “graffiti” in the OP.
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### Author:  [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/5 "2010-02-03T18:28:35Z")
There’s also going to be a Sinatra musical, _Come Fly With Me_.
I would say a Beatles musical, but that territory’s already been covered in _Across the Universe_. So I don’t really have any suggestions.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/6 "2010-02-03T18:46:40Z")
> [@mobo85](#):
>
> I would say a Beatles musical, but that territory’s already been covered in _Across the Universe_. So I don’t really have any suggestions.
And **Beatlemania**.
How about the Monkees? An interesting conflict (“We want to play our own instruments!”) and some nice pop songs.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/7 "2010-02-03T18:56:16Z")
The technical term is [jukebox musical](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jukebox_musical). And the next one should be PAX, the one I wrote about a returning Vietnam vet based on Tom Paxton’s songs.
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/8 "2010-02-03T19:20:46Z")
Harry Chapin was a master of the story song. His songs featured all kinds of richly-developed characters, and would probably lend themselves well to a musical, if anybody could string together something out of Harry and Sue (“Taxi” and “Sequel”); Mr. Tanner, the cleaner from Ohio; and the midnight watchman down at Miller’s Tool and Die, the waitress, and the girl who left the six-word letter (“A Better Place to Be”). Plenty of situations and events too, from songs like “Thirty Thousand Pounds of Bananas,” “Flowers are Red,” and “She is Always Seventeen.”
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### Author:  [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/9 "2010-02-03T19:54:10Z")
I think I’d have to go with _The Dictators Go Girl Crazy._
But seriously – maybe Lou Reed’s _Berlin_ or Bowie’s _Ziggy Stardust._
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/10 "2010-02-03T19:59:43Z")
> [@Spoons](#):
>
> Harry Chapin was a master of the story song. His songs featured all kinds of richly-developed characters, and would probably lend themselves well to a musical, if anybody could string together something out of Harry and Sue (“Taxi” and “Sequel”); Mr. Tanner, the cleaner from Ohio; and the midnight watchman down at Miller’s Tool and Die, the waitress, and the girl who left the six-word letter (“A Better Place to Be”). Plenty of situations and events too, from songs like “Thirty Thousand Pounds of Bananas,” “Flowers are Red,” and “She is Always Seventeen.”
Looking at Annie-Xmas’ link, the very first listed musical is [a Harry Chapin musical!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_That_Made_America_Famous)
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/11 "2010-02-03T20:14:13Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#):
>
> Looking at Annie-Xmas’ link, the very first listed musical is [a Harry Chapin musical!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_That_Made_America_Famous)
Huh! Whaddaya know!
But it seems like it was written specifically as a musical. I was thinking more along the lines of _Mamma Mia_, where the story is crafted out of characters and songs that weren’t necessarily written to be taken together.
Still, that’s interesting and I’ll have to look more into that. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/12 "2010-02-03T21:25:06Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#):
>
> My candidate is _The Lamb lies Down On Broadway_ by Genesis. It wouldn’t need much changing, except updating (specifically _Broadway Melody of 1974_, and less graffitti by Rael).
That was my suggestion. The first musical I ever got to play for was Tommy, and my high school drama director introduced _The Lamb_ to me and talked about how it was a dream of his to do that show. I fell in love with the album, and since then, putting up a Broadway version of it has always been floating around in my head.
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### Author:  [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/13 "2010-02-03T22:04:29Z")
Prince. He probably already has it written in his vaults somewhere.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/14 "2010-02-04T01:08:29Z")
Actually, I’d like to see Billy Joel actually write an original musical. He’s got the chops to do it. (And I have seen _Moving Out_ – it had the worst choreography I’ve even seen in a professional performance, and since it was all choreography, it was a waste. I found watching the backup band more interesting).
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/15 "2010-02-04T01:51:06Z")
My wife has wanted for ten or fifteen years to make one out of the songs of The Rascals and Spanky and My Gang. Boomer-mellow stuff that could fill seats. She was pissed as similar shows made piles of money by “stealing” (her word, though she never told anybody about but me) her idea while hers languished because she didn’t know anybody in show biz.
A couple years back I met Tony Powers, who wrote one of Spanky’s hits and is buds with The Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere. After a few email exchanges I broached the possibility that such a show might be a success like Ellie Greenwich’s show or the others in the OP.
Nope. Too much work. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/16 "2010-02-04T02:58:39Z")
I wonder if there could be a musical featuring the music of the Kinks. _Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround_ even has a plot behind it, and _Preservation, Act I_ might also be a possibility.
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### Author:  [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/17 "2010-02-04T04:43:00Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#):
>
> Just off the top of my head:
>
> _Movin’ Out_ (Billy Joel)
> _Mamma Mia_ (ABBA)
> The Who’s _Tommy_
> _Jersey Boys_ (Four Seasons)
I don’t have anything to contribute to this thread, because I think we’ve had enough jukebox musicals for one lifetime, :p, but I did just want to point out that _Tommy_ doesn’t fit into that category. It was an original musical by The Who, not a collection of their old songs.
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/18 "2010-02-04T04:54:50Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#):
>
> I don’t have anything to contribute to this thread, because I think we’ve had enough jukebox musicals for one lifetime, :p, but I did just want to point out that _Tommy_ doesn’t fit into that category. It was an original musical by The Who, not a collection of their old songs.
It may not be like the other three, but it does fit the headline.
As does American Idiot.
I asked about both types.
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### Author:  [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2010, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/19 "2010-02-04T05:55:49Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#):
>
> It may not be like the other three, but it does fit the headline.
> As does American Idiot.
>
> I asked about both types.
I’m aware of that, but the thread seemed to be going in the direction of “jukebox musical”, and I just wanted to clarify that _Tommy_ was not one. And, similar to what **Spoons** mentioned about the Harry Chapin musical, The Who wrote it with the intention of being “theatrical”, complete with characters and storylines.
I’m not trying to nitpick, I just wanted to clarify for anyone who wasn’t familiar with _Tommy_ and might have thought it was a jukebox musical of Who tunes.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-musicals-based-on-albums-cds-or-a-bands-repertoire-should-broadway-do-next/527547/20 "2010-02-05T02:46:40Z")
Under the “Ones that already exist” category:
We Will Rock You (Queen)
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