Big mistake. Big. Huge. But hopefully not.
There's been a long history of movies becoming staged musicals with varying degrees of success (see 'Billy Elliot', 'Spider-Man', 'Ghost', 'Elf', etc.) and now it looks like Broadway is banking on the romantic comedy of prostitution and investment banking to help 'Pretty Woman' transition into a musical that's set to debut on the Great White Way in 2018.
Samantha Barks, best known for her standout role as Eponine in the film adaptation of 'Les Misérables', will take on the role of Vivian, made famous Julia Roberts, while 'Once' (the musical) Tony winner Steve Kazee will play Edward, the part originally played by Richard Gere.
If that wasn't enough to make your head spin, Bryan Adams and his songwriting partner Jim Vallance are writing the music and lyrics for the show, so expect a very heavy 80s and 90s rock element to add to the nostalgia.
If you're worried about it, producer Paula Wagner wants to allay your fears by stating that the musical "will have the heart, humor, warmth and joy of the film," and the book (that's the non-singing script part) will come from the late Garry Marshall and the film’s screenwriter J.F. Lawton.
'Pretty Woman: The Musical' will premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theater in spring 2018 for a five-week run before moving to Broadway in the autumn.
Via Rolling Stone
