I am glad to be getting some support. And I know it already is a musical, but not a very good one. I want it to be a very serious musical. I can actually see the finale. Napolean walking onstage not dressed as a pig, but dressed as Stalin. I think it would be so fantastick.
Sugar Candy mountain could be a production number. Maybe not a production number, but like a slight production number with the pigs in the background commenting on how this is helping them.
There are some things that just don't 'sing'. It's a great book and a passable film, but a musical? I just don't think that songs would add anything to it...
The Jonathan Larson spoof sounds interesting though...
I love almost every book I read, and this book just didn't do it. I found the satire to get old fast.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
Just to clarify, Jonathan Larson wrote a musicalization of 1984, not Animal Farm. Orwell's estate wouldn't let him use 1984 so the musical underwent some changes and became "Superbia."
As for Animal Farm, I just cannot see it working very well as a musical. While I love the book i just think the barnyard animals would come off as ridiculous and if done too abstractly why not just come up with a new premise? I feel there are much better ways to convey the symbolism and idealogies.
I could see it. But it would have to be done by a certain type of composer--for example, Jeff Bowen (as much as I love the guy) couldn't rock it out, but Sondheim or LaChiusa probably could. Maybe--just maybe--it would even work as a rock musical, I don't know.
But honestly. Those who are complaining about how it would never work? Yeah. Tell that to ALW next time your community theatre produces Cats.
Okay, bad example. But I'm just sayin'.
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The book and movie were okay. I saw and read it for English I. I won't criticize it. But a musical sounds like a... kind-a good idea. I can see the opening number... "Long Live the Farm".
dear original poster, you are out of your head! it was torture when i went through it as a freshman in high school, why would you want to put an audience through that?! i would classify it as cruel and unusual punishment! oy! love, DQ2
hear my song; it was made for the time when you don't know where to go, listen to the song that i sing, you'll be fine..