Broadway Musicals That Started Off As Movies
By Charlotte Hansen
Staff Writer
Often times, movies which are a big success in the box office get turned into musicals. How these movies-turned-musicals are received by audiences, however, differ from show to show.
Personally, I find these movies-turned-musicals overrated and not likely to become a success, due to bad reception. However, often times, audiences enjoy these shows for years to come.
Several examples of movies that became musicals are Waitress, Finding Neverland, Legally Blonde, Amélie, Kinky Boots and many more.
This could be both a good and bad thing, but these movies have rarely done well when transferred into a musical format. Some, however, do succeed in their transition from screen to stage.
I personally love listening to the Finding Neverland soundtrack, mostly because I adore Matthew Morrison’s voice and because the music is fun to hear. Those who are fans of the show Frasier may also enjoy the show since Kelsey Grammar was part of the Original Broadway Cast.
Some movies-turned-musicals have wound up on the back-burner because of a lack of vision or even the fact that it simply was not meant to be a musical. Amélie is a good example of this.
Starring Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo, Amélie was a hit during its first run in San Francisco. However, once it reached Broadway, the show received lukewarm responses from critics and closed within weeks of opening night despite its potential to be an amazing performance.
Recently, when Waitress became a musical, it became an overnight sensation, playing to sold-out crowds everywhere. Waitress is currently on tour all over the U.S., similar to Legally Blonde: The Musical, which has become a popular show for high school productions.
What may have helped this musical become such a quick success was the music, written by singer Sara Bareilles, in addition to the touching storyline.
The main question is whether or not these movies-to-musical fads will last, and whether they will continue on for years to come. With several movie musicals coming out like La La Land and Frozen, which is already set to premiere as a musical in February of 2018, the trend has no plans on stopping any time soon.
