Comments on: The Quick 10: 10 Broadway Musicals Based on Books

By: Glen Pierce

Glen Pierce — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:00:53 +0000

Could you tell me who was the approx 1960 understudy for Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady? I think her first name was Julie too?

Our 1960 8th grad NJ class went to NYC for the musical. We had studied the story and music for 2 weeks. Sat down in the theatre, curtain was rising. They announced that Andrews would not perform that afternoon. What a disappointment. But the understudy was just as good. Who was she? Glen gpierce9@comcast.net

By: Faith S

Faith S — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

What about Phantom of the Opera? I’m surprised no one’s said it. Phantom of the Opera is based on a novel by Gaston Leroux called Le FantÃ´me de l’OpÃ©ra, aka French for Phantom of the Opera.

By: Angel H.

Angel H. — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:47:00 +0000

“â€œRagtimeâ€, based on the book by E.L. Doctorow – great musical and great book, both underrated. — posted by AJ”

I totally agree, and I’m pissed that it didn’t make the list.

By: Isabella

Isabella — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:29:00 +0000

No one has said Sweeney Todd?
No one? It was based on a penny novel.
Back in the day…
They had a panic because some people thought it could be true?
No? No one?

By: Kate

Kate — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:16:00 +0000

I’m glad I’m not the only one who preferred the musical of Wicked to the novel. Gregory Macguire is one of my favorite authors, and I loved Son of a Witch, but the book was rather dry. And the music! I’m a theater nerd anyway, but I absolutely fell in love with the music in Wicked. I was one of the first to see it (relatively speaking), I think either right after it opened or while it was still in previews in NY-I’d seen the billboard, freaked because I knew the story and begged my dad to buy tix. Well worth it to see the show with the original cast.

By: Raesamm

Raesamm — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:56:00 +0000

I think some people need to chill. The title of this article says “The Quick 10,” not “every musical ever based on a book, particularly *your* favorite”!

Great list! I have to wonder what some people were thinking to turn certain books into musicals, but to each his own.

By: Lou

Lou — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:35:00 +0000

What about some more classic musicals…Showboat was based on a novel. Its a classic. Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me Kate” is based around “The Taming of the Shrew” As a musical enthusiast, I was rather disappointed by this list. Lil’ Abner was based on the famous comic strip. Let’s re-do this list with some classical musicals…

By: MW

MW — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Bzzyb, you are not alone in hating Cats. I thought it was completely stupid! The set was cool, with the over-sized bits of garbage (cereal boxes, etc), but there really was no plot, just a bunch of random songs and cats dancing about. Give me Les Mis or Phantom any day over Cats!!

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:15:00 +0000

My grandmother used to read me Old Possumâ€™s Book of Practical Cats back in the day. I didn’t know Cats was based on it either, until I saw it for the first time and realized I knew all the words.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Actually “Mame” is based on the story Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis…

And there are tons of books to musical (too many for one article…perhaps we need more?).

Just to name a few:

If you’re going for the Bible: Joseph & The Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell

Shakespeare: West Side Story, Kiss Me Kate, Two Gentleman of Verona, The Boys From Syracuse

“Literature”: Working, Ragtime, Carrie (I believe it ran for 8 performances and I knew someone who attended nearly all of them!), South Pacific, The Sound of Music (yes, it’s based on Maria’s autobiography — the line of up children is a bit funny as in the show Lisel is the oldest while in reality the eldest was a boy), Big River, Mary Poppins, Little Mermaid…

I’m going on way too long!