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New Musicals: Good, Bad, and Anna Nicole

By Julienne Bilker in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 19, 2010 8:40PM

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Universal Studios

Let’s start with the good news:

  • Although no production timeline has been announced, songwriter Duncan Sheik and playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa are collaborating on a musical version of American Psycho. Before you cringe, let us state the case for this being an awesome idea: Bret Easton Ellis has given the project his blessing and will serve as a consulting producer. Sacasa’s got several playwriting credits to his name, and he’s also one of the writers on HBO’s Big Love. We loved Spring Awakening - a show which earned Sheik two Tony Awards (Best Orchestration and Best Original Score) - and we think the songwriter has the right idea for this project. “What could be more subversive fun than murderous bankers breaking into song?" Here's hoping for a musical bloodbath of a Carrie: The Musical nature, minus the abject failure.
  • South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are working with Robert Lopez (Tony Award winning co-composer of Avenue Q) on a new musical, slated to run at New York Theatre Workshop in August and September. Although according to this NY Times article, the theater isn’t releasing details about the show, this Independent article from 2008 states that it’ll be about Mormons and star Cheyenne Jackson. Then again, the latter article also stated that the show would open in 2009, so who knows what the piece has morphed into by now. Either way: YES.