We've been hearing so much lately about Hugh Jackman returning to the Broadway stage, so it would behoove us all to take this latest possibility with an entire lick of salt. In recent months, the criminally hot Mr. Jackman has been said to be considering a return to the New York in Pal Joey (true, but plans fell through), Leap of Faith (true, but just in a workshop production), and Stop the World - I Want to Get Off (not true, and we can all be thankful for that).
The latest purported vehicle for The Return of the Jack Man, according to Michael Riedel of The New York Post, is a stage version of the Judy Garland movie A Star Is Born. No, Jackman won't be playing the Judy role in drag; he's considering the role of Norman Maine, played in the movie by James Mason. Michael John LaChiusa will adapt the book from the original screenplay (by Moss Hart and Dorothy Parker, no less). The production will also feature the original Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin songs, including "The Man That Got Away" and the "Born in a Trunk" sequence. Presumably, LaChiusa will also supply any addition songs that the show requires.
I don't know about you, but Michael John LaChiusa is the LAST person I would expect to be working on a project like this. I've always admired his shows (Hello Again, The Wild Party, Marie Christine, See What I Wanna See, Bernarda Alba, First Lady Suite, Little Fish, etc.), but I've never really enjoyed any of them. They usually seem to me like master's theses set to music: lots of clever ideas, but not a lot of palpable human emotion. But perhaps this will be the show in which the Tin Man finds a heart.
Anyway, back to Hugh Jackman. The last time I was in London, I stayed with a friend who lives one street over from Jackman's London flat. In fact, you can see Hugh's bedroom windows from my friend's home office. (See photo left: they're the ones in the middle, top floor, with the shades drawn. Sigh.) Alas, Hugh was not in residence while I was in London. So I guess I'm going to have to wait to see if this A Star Is Born production ever comes to fruition. Either that or I could offer my houseboy services to my London friend in exchange for stalking privileges.
[NOTE TO INTERPOL: Kidding.]
Maybe this won't happen (http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117758.html). That Hugh is such a tease!
Posted by: Steve On Broadway (SOB) | May 15, 2008 at 12:46 PM