-
Production Designing 'Fruitvale Station' -
Exclusive: Lorraine Hansberry Biopic In Development ... -
'MadCap: New York' - How We Shot A Feature ... -
What’s Wrong With 'Detropia' - A Detroit ... -
SIFF Review: Painterly, Meditative 'The Forgotten ...
-
This Week in Black Television: Daniel Sunjata ... -
What Would A 'Breaking Bad' Spin-Off Be Without ... -
Sorry, But I Don't Need The New York Times ... -
Will Either Of These Black Actors Get The ... -
What Is It That Terrifies Dorothy Dandridge ...
-
My (Short) Conversation w/ Screenwriter Geoffrey ... -
'End Of Watch' Explores A Post-Racial Ho ... -
Interview - For the Actors and Actresses: ... -
VOD Review: BBC Films' 'Shoot The Messenger' ... -
What Does The Future Of 'Black Cinema' Look ...
5 Netflix Streaming Titles You May Not Know ...
African Diaspora Palme D'Or Winners In Cannes ...
What's Missing From The WGA's '101 Best Written ...
Review: 'RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria' ...
An Industry Without... Black People (What ...
For The Love Of Movies... Can We Talk?1950s Broadway Rock & Roll Miscegenation Musical 'Memphis' Set Up For Film Adaptation
Long-time readers of S&A may remember our coverage of this broadway musical in 2010, specifically when it was rumored that the musical had drawn Hollywood's interest - specifically, Justin Timberlake was reportedly interested in adapting the musical to film, likely as a starring vehicle for himself; and it was also rumored that director Oliver Stone, who was said to be a big fan of the show, had been meeting and talking with David Bryan, one of the show's creators and its composer, expressing his interest in making a film out of it.
Those were 2 separate interests, by the way; and I emphasize that neither was officially confirmed.
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Memphis, tells a story that's loosely based on Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips, taking place in 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, and centers on a young white rocker named Huey Calhoun who falls in love with a black singer (played by Montego Glover in the Broadway musical - a Tony Award nominee in the Best Actress In A Musical category).
More from the musical's website:
He's a young, white radio DJ named Huey Calhoun, whose love of music transcends race lines and airwaves. She's a black singer named Felicia Farrell, whose career is on the rise, but who can't break out of segregated clubs. When the two collaborate, her soulful music reaches radio audiences everywhere, and the Golden Era of early rock 'n' roll takes flight. But as things start to heat up, whether the world is really ready for their music - or their love - is put to the test.
This evening brings news that plans have indeed been in the works to adapt the musical to film, since 2010 (when the above-mentioned rumors began circulatin); and today, Belle Pictures and The Mark Gordon Company made an official announcement of their intent to bring the acclaimed Broadway musical to Hollywood and adapt it for the screen.
The project is being set up at Alcon Entertainment, a company that has an agreement with Warner Bros to distribute its films.
Joe DiPietro, one of the musical's creators, will write the screenplay for the musical adaptation.
Of course, I'm most interested in who will be cast to play Felicia Farrell, the black singer.
Also, I should note that the starring cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway show was predominantly African American, including Derrick Baskin, J. Bernard Calloway, James Monroe Iglehart, and several others. So there'll be a few starring and supporting roles for African American actors.
I hear Beyonce and Rihanna are actively campaigning for the lead role! I'm kidding... I'm kidding... ;)
Although, ya never know!
It's not entirely clear whether the film will be a verbatim adaptation of the musical, or if it'll be a drama/non-musical based on the musical.
I haven't seen the Broadway musical, so, I really can't tell you much more about it than what you can already find on its website, in terms of story development, how the characters and their relationships are portrayed, etc. All you theatre buffs can chime in below, in the comments section.
Live productions of the musical were filmed and then screened in movie theaters across the USA in the spring of 2011, so some of you may have seen it that way as well.
Here's a trailer advertising that 2011 theatrical run:
6 Comments
Walter White | October 21, 2012 9:35 PM
Asia for the Asians. Africa for the Africans. White countries for EVERYONE!!!
People say there's this RACE problem. People say this RACE problem will be solved when the third world pours into EVERY white country and ONLY into white countries.
The Netherlands and Belgium are just as crowded as Japan or Taiwan, but nobody says Japan or Taiwan will solve this RACE problem by bringing in millions of third worlders and "assimilating" with them.
People cliam that the final solution to the RACE problem is for EVERY white country and ONLY white countries to âassimilate,â i.e., intermarry and miscegenate with all those non-whites.
What if I said there was this RACE problem and this RACE problem would be solved only if hundreds of millions of non-blacks were brought into EVERY black country and ONLY into black countries?
How long would it take anyone to realize Iâm not talking about a RACE problem. I am talking about the final solution to the BLACK problem?
And how long would it take any sane black man to notice this and what kind of psycho black man wouldnât object to this?
But if I tell that obvious truth about the ongoing program of genocide against my race, the white race, Liberals and respectable conservatives agree that I am a naziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews.
They say they are anti-racist. What they are is anti-white.
Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white.
ALM | October 16, 2012 3:08 PM
They should call Audra McDonald.
saadiyah | October 15, 2012 9:41 PM
This is great news!!! I saw this last summer on Broadway and loved it! I would definitely go see it.
Cordell | October 15, 2012 10:51 AM
Anika Noni Rose should definitely be in the running to play Felicia Farrell.
J.D.B. | October 14, 2012 11:20 PM
Love, Love, LOVED This Musical when I saw it over the summer in the Kennedy Center in DC. Ever since I saw it, I thought about writing a screenplay myself! I just really loved how the characters used the music to display the passion in the story. To me, it felt a lot like "Hair Spray" in the sense of the time period and some of the musical numbers. However, this play seemed to be for older adults because of the edgier music and subject matter. I really loved every song in this musical and I was hoping it would be brought to the big screen. Other people (besides Theater/Musical lovers) need to be exposed to this story and play. I really am glad to see this become a movie hopefully within the next year or so :) Also, I know that they have already sold a live recording of the play through different vendors (Amazon, etc.) I believe the recording features Montego Glover. When I saw the play, the cast had been changed but they were phenomenal. Below is a video (rehearsal) of the cast I saw:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va5dd6z0mig
Bryan Fenkart and Felicia Boswell lit up that stage!
cindy | October 14, 2012 9:10 PM
I belive the live orginal broadway version is on netflix