Pilot's Log

RUNNER-UP REVUE

A stage show, or possibly a "permanent" theater, based on/cast from former contestants (and not WINNERS) of American Idol, The Voice, America's Got Talent, The X Factor, The Sing-Off and other such shows.

Q: Has anybody thought of reimagining Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing as a Broadway musical?

The concept seems back-recesses-of-my-head familiar.

The PBS program Great Performances is presenting this week the opera "The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny". Some of the hands behind the Broadway production of "Sweeney Todd" are behind this production as well. And yes, there is a song in this play that was made into hit rock records by the likes of David Bowie and the Doors.

Check your local listings.

FP

PS: Producers Are Money-Grubbing Scum.

I put in Company not because it's my favorite musical but, because it was the first one to come to mind. I'm not exactly a big fan of musicals. There are a bunch of them I'd probably want to see but haven't, mostly because they never were made into movies, or if they were, the film version wasn't as good as a stage version with a game production. I know this sounds snobbish, but the history of movie musicals is littered with bombs based on hit Broadway shows.

I wonder if my idea of Better Than The Original could work as a stage show. Something more to ruminate, I guess.

FP

"...Stephen Bierce called and he says he read your blog and is worried about you. Wants you to get together with him somewhere."

Well, what really happened was that I was doing some research and decided that I needed to go to WalMart to find some raw data. Since the one here is open 24/7, I went there at Midnight. The combination of the immediate change of scenery, the fresh air there and back, and the car radio there and back, has recharged my batteries a little.

Amazing what a little spur-of-the-moment indulged self-actualization will do.

FP

PS: One of the songs I heard tonight was the Beastie Boys' "Brass Monkey". We have a story about this song in our family, but I'm sure my brother won't like me telling it.

Anyway, our alma mater high school, good ol' F.W. Springstead, has a habit of doing an annual musical, and one of the years my brother was a student they did The Wiz. Only they didn't stick with the Broadway score.

My brother was one of the Flying Monkey gang and when they did their number, it was to "Brass Monkey". If you can imagine a campy, breakdance fight with dancers in monkey facepaint--well, it's close to what happened. Unfortunately for Bro', the lead dancer wasn't so great about keeping with the choreography. It almost came to real blows. I'm sure Bro' felt real embarrassed by the whole experience.

But just the same, it's also rather bizarre that they could get away with playing a song glorifying booze consumption in a school play.