Grease is definitely the word after Fox tossed their hat into the live musical adaptation ring on Sunday. Grease Live grabbed over 12 million viewers for the network, and as far as I’m concerned it was an absolute smash hit!
With NBC and Fox likely to announce new musical adaptations for years to come, it got us dreaming up what shows we’d like to see make the move from the Great White Way to the small screen…
1) ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
Who doesn’t love a show about a bloodsucking plant that has a taste for human flesh? We could totally see this one adapting nicely for television, and there’s plenty of room for guest stars! We’re tentatively putting Joseph Gordon-Levitt up for the role of Seymour though.
It’s such a unique show, and would appeal to everyone, not just musical theatre geeks! The only setback could be Audrey II’s slightly more colorful language… Maybe at a later time?
2) ‘The Phantom of the Opera’
Yes, we know. Phantom is one of those musicals that everyone talks about. It would be perfect for a live television adaptation because the show itself is set in a theatre meaning that there’d be no need to build an extravagant set! NBC or Fox could simply broadcast the Broadway show live. They could even get Sia to sing “Chandelier” at the beginning of the show! Too far? Okay…
3) ‘Wicked’
This musical has been around for over 10 years now and we’re still waiting on a movie! It has everything you need for great television: Heartbreaking backstories, a frustrating love triangle, killer special effects and a melt-your-heart ending (spoiler alert)! Rumors have popped up every year saying a film’s finally in the works — but no such luck yet. What better way to please fans and critics alike than a live premiere? NBC could even reuse some props from The Wiz Live!
4) ‘Les Misérables’
Imagine this. A solid three-hour musical extravaganza — they could even reunite the cast from the 2012 film! It might be a long stretch, but we wouldn’t mind seeing Helena Bonham Carter again as Madame Thénardier. French revolution and (really long) chill, anyone?
5) ‘Funny Girl’
Look — this one’s probably gonna happen whether you like it or not. As far as we know, Ryan Murphy still has the rights after Glee, and you’ve gotta admit, Lea Michelle plays a pretty mean Fanny Bryce! Ryan would probably be keen to direct, and we’re sure he could rope in a few of Lea’s co-stars to make an appearance. Basically what we’re asking for is a mini Glee reunion…