The award season is almost over, but we still have the Tonys left. So, before we speak of those shows that make us question the creator's sanity, let's talk about the brilliant ideas that never saw the Great White Way, on both the stage and screen.
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Ever since "Beauty and the Beast," Disney has been pushing shows onto Broadway one after another, so why not "Hunchback"? Well, it's dark.
The show goes back to the original storyline written by Victor Hugo (the same dude who wrote "Les Miserables") and Disney sees that as a hindrance for sales.
*SPOILER ALERT* Esmerelda and Quasimodo both die in this version, like their original counterparts. Despite great turnouts and reception, Disney thinks that families will go expecting the Disney movie and leave children scarred.
Sure, they have released a CD, but notice the distinctive Disney logo is missing. The release of the CD is a form of defeat. They have tried to get this on Broadway since 1992, this is their way of saying it's not happening, but you may now enjoy a legal version of the songs! (And let's just say this version of "The Bells of Notre Dame" is perhaps the best out there, especially when sung by a live choir.)
2. Shade: The Rusical
How many Broadway shows can you name that normalize and humanize drag queens and give humanity to them? Yeah, I bet you only named three ("La Cage aux Folles," "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," and "Kinky Boots"). For a big and diverse community, they certainly don't have a lot of positive and well-known material portraying them. We need more shows that do that for the community. "Shade: The Rusical" was originally a challenge for the season 6 contestants of "RuPaul's Drag Race" with a great message about the drag community (I won't spoil it for you, but it's so sweet and true).
3. Lord of the Rings
You heard me right, "Lord of the Rings" as a musical. While long (three hours), it certainly is a major nerd fest with witty lyrics and great costume designs. It certainly would have been a feat on Broadway.
4. Camp
"Camp," which is perhaps better known as the screen debut of Anna Kendrick, is a campy musical about theatre and how everything that can go wrong in theatre usually does. It's great, but perhaps an issue in translating it to stage is the right to songs that may still be performed on the Great White Way and how the profits would be split.
5. Across the Universe
With all the musicals that feature the works of great artists ("American Idiot" and "Putting It Together"), "Across the Universe" would be the next choice. Featuring music from The Beatles, "Across the Universe" is a stoner's daydream from psychedelic songs, crazy landscapes, relatable characters and already proven bankable songs, it's a producer's wet dream. Just move it to stage already!
6. A Very Potter Musical
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
With Tim Burton and Disney, it would be splendid on Broadway. The movie has a huge following which would, no doubt, translate to the stage, and need I mention Danny Elfman's classic songs? The only issue would be figuring out whether they want to go "Avenue Q" with it and use puppets or just stay with simple humans in outlandish clothing.
Overall, there are several more shows that could be put on Broadway, but these are the ones that have people thinking, "Why are we not doing this?" And seriously, why haven't they made it yet?
