Stephin Merritt Musical Hits NYC In 2009

House Of Tomorrow reports: *The theatrical adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, with music & lyrics by Stephin Merritt and book by David Greenspan, will have its world premiere at New York's Lucille Lortel Theatre Theater from May 6 to June 20, 2009.*

For further info, head here. MP3 at bottom.

Visit The Magnetic Fields on MySpace.

MP3: Stephin Merritt - The Nun's Litany (Live)

EW Selects '25 Best Movie Musicals'

Here's Entertainment Weekly's Top 5:

5. Mary Poppins
4. Cabaret
3. Singin' In The Rain
2. West Side Story
1. The Wizard Of Oz

View #s 6 thru 25 here.

MP3: TWOO - The Cowardly Lion (Reading)

Blondie Tunes Headed To London Theater

Via Uncut:

*Blondie are to provide the soundtrack for the West End transfer of Madonna’s 1985 film, Desperately Seeking Susan, due to open this October.

The band's frontwoman and rock icon, Debbie Harry says, ‘the story just works with the lyrics, I thought it was a good idea, really smart’.

The show will include a number of Blondie hits including ‘Heart of Glass’, ‘One Way or Another’ and ‘The Tide is High’. Also appearing in the musical will be an original song written by Harry during her solo career which kicked off with her 1981 solo album, Koo Koo.*

MP3: Blondie - Heart Of Glass (Parallel remix)

Ok, you have got to be kidding me

I just saw a commercial for a new musical called Hot Feet based on the songs of Earth, Wind and Fire. Does anyone even have any Earth, Wind and Fire song they like? It looks to be an expression of their music through dance. ::moan::

In the last few years there seems to be a plethora of this sort of thing, i.e. Billy Joel's Movin' Out and Queen's We Will Rock You. Now I love Billy Joel and Queen (I'm from LI, I have to like Billy Joel) but do I want to see people dancing around to their music in some forced plotline? Uh, no, not really.

I may disparage the musical based on rock music but I love the Rock Opera. I mean The Who's Tommy and Rent? Who doesn't like them? Though I can see it now, us aging hipsters taking our grandkids to see the new musical Last Night: A Rock Odyssey based on the songs of The Strokes.

Let me be honest though. When I was in college and studying abroad in London, We Will Rock You opened for previews in the West End and I went. I really like Queen and I'd heard it was suppose to be good, with Ben Elton writing and all sorts of celebrities going to the opening. But let me tell you, it was the only and last time I will ever go to one of these things. It wasn't complete torture, but it was mighty rough. Thankfully I only spent 15 quid on it and then, found a tenner in the lobby on the way out.