How about a CARPENTERS musical!

[aaflyer98]

With the huge success of "Mamma Mia" (for those who don't know, a great story written around the songs of ABBA), and with Billy Joel's musical, Queens "We Will Rock You" stage play, don't you think it would be great (and hugely successfull) if a Broadway stage production built around the songs of the Carpenters were produced? Not a story about Karen & Richard, but a plot built around and featuring all Carpenters songs! I am sure it would fly high if Richard were involved!

 

[Harry]

Well, at least we'd know the phone number of one of the lead characters:

BEechwood 4-5789

Harry
...who grew up at SUnset 9-6246, online...

 

[jfiedler17]

While this would be a cool idea in theory, I got to wonder how it would actually translate. Even though I've never seen any of the musicals you mentioned, I think the Queen musical would actually translate well to stage since so much of their music is almost theatrical (i.e. "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Someone to Love"). Same goes for ABBA - "When All Is Said and Done" springs to mind. [Actually, what with Queen and Abba already mined for musicals, I'm surprised Meat Loaf's music hasn't been mined for a "Bat Out of Hell" musical. Talk about music just made for the theater. That'd be a heckuva show.]

But the Carpenters? As much as I love their music, I'm not sure how most of it would work on stage; it's just not especially theatrical or Broadway-ish. There are exceptions, though. "Solitaire" would sound fabulous in a musical. "I Need to Be in Love" would be amazing in a Broadway show. "We've Only Just Begun" and "Goodbye to Love" might translate decently, if not as well. ["Calling Occupants" - would sound great onstage, too, 'cept I don't know how you'd ever work it in! ] ["Sing" would also be good onstage, except .. do we really want them to use that one??? ]

But some of the other hits just wouldn't work at all in the theater. "Top of the World", "Only Yesterday," "Touch Me When ...", "and "Please Mr. Postman" are a few I really have trouble hearing as showtunes. But that's me. What does everyone else think would work and what wouldn't?

Jeff F.

 

[Dave]

No, I don't think The Carpenters, as A Musical sounds so far-fetched at all... Their songs would very well fit the Musical Format very well... Let's hope it DOES come to be...

It would be like Smoky Joe's Cafe: The Songs Of Lieber & Stoller...

And now that you mentioned Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell, I think that might just, lo and behold, be in the works... :goofygrin:


Dave

 

[aaflyer98]

I could never write a story line...but these are just a few songs that might work. Of course, the play would have to have lots of 'hits' that the audience would recognize and be familiar with...that's part of the great sentimental feelng you get from watching ABBA's "Mamma Mia" and they were able to also use some lesser known ABBA songs to move the plot along.

Happy Songs "Those Good Old Dreams" "When You've Got What It Takes" "Only Yesterday" "Yesterday Once More" "Top Of The World" "Sing"

Love Songs "Close To You" "Make Believe It's Your First Time" "For All We Know" "Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night"

Hope and dream songs "Mr. Postman" "Beechwood 4-5789"

Heartache Songs "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore" "Rainy Days And Mondays" "Solitaire" "Superstar" "I Need To Be In Love"

Back Together Songs "Want You Back In My Life Again"

Wedding Songs "Because We Are In Love" "We've Only Just Begun"

Happy Again Song "Look To Your Dreams"

I'm sure there are many many more and probably better Carpenters songs that would work. We just need a great story teller/writer!

 

[Jeff]

Encapsulating the magic that has sold over 100,000,000 records. Billy, Queen and ABBA are most definitely hard pressed and actually most uncapable of achieving same. A story, a moment in time loved by throngs would play to overwhelming success creating both warm fuzzies and the venue with which to showcase Karen Carpenter as the artistic genuis rather than the poster girl for an eating disorder.