D:!

[silversolitaire]

Lloyd Webber rules out third reality show
Saturday, April 21 2007, 10:44 BST
By Daniel Kilkelly

Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced that he will not be taking part in a third reality series with the BBC.

Despite the success of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and new show Any Dream Will Do, Lloyd Webber has decided that he wants to concentrate on writing a sequel to his musical Phantom Of The Opera.

"I need to get back to writing. I want to throw myself into it," Lloyd Webber told The Mirror. "Over the Easter weekend I wrote the first song and I'm really pleased with it."

Andrew admitted that he would consider signing up for an American reality show because he wants to search for an actor to star in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

"I'd love to do a search for Jesus, but the BBC couldn't do that. It's probably against editorial policy," he explained. "I'd have to do it in America. I've told them I'll think about it, but only if it was in New York. Broadway is the heart of theatre in America."

[source]

Okay, two things. First: A sequel to Phantom of the Opera??? My initial reaction was D:!!!!!! My second is "Hm... interesting." I'm really torn on this issue TBH. I don't know if that's a good idea. And has there ever been a musical sequel? Does the story even give room for a sequel? Should there be a sequel? So many questions... and I can't decide!

Second: This is kinda funny, don't you think? First ALW was looking for a Mary, then a Joseph... then Jesus??? Oh come ON! That's too funny. But I'm not sure if that'll be a success since JCS was just staged in NY maybe 5 years ago or so? Not sure if it was on Broadway, but it definitely was staged there. I don't know if the sound of this musical meets current tastes. The music is rather particular. But we'll see. I can see why the Beeb doesn't want to touch it with a hot poker though. Casting Jesus is kinda controversial and I just can't see this happening in the US either, TBH.

Comments

[sandrine]

ALW has been raving on about writing a sequel to PotO ever since 1998 now. ("The Heart Is Slow to Learn" was originally supposed to be a song from it, but then he went and used it in Beautiful Game instead.) I'm not sure how I feel about the sequel idea either, but at this point, the 'stop talking about it and get it done instead' impatience weights over possible concerns.

As for JCS, I think the last time it was on Broadway was after the 2000 movie, so that's been a while...

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Well, 2000 would be "about 5 years ago" (I'm still mentally in 2005, don't you know? *g*). Anyway, if I recall it wasn't that fantastic a run then. I really don't know if it would be a good choice to put on stage again. But I'm sure ALW knows more about the biz than I do *g*.

About the sequel, that totally slipped my attention! D: Well, we'll see what'll come from it. It's time that ALW puts out another musical again, IMO.

Are you following Any Dream Will Do? I've never seen you mention it, I think...

[sandrine]

I watched the first part of it live on TV when I was over in the UK, but I can't really be bothered to download the rest of it. The two casting shows I'm already watching are plenty enough for me, and as I already get horribly upset about these things because they are in the habit of kicking off my favorites I really don't need a third one.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

a sequel to PotO sounds kind of strange, since it's based on an actual novel by an actual author (who to my knowledge wrote nothing resembling a sequel), morover centered around a character that is dead by the end of it, no? (correct me if i'm wrong.. i'm not that familiar with it)
with a little stretch.. it's like writing a sequel to JCS (>_>).. or to La traviata..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

The Bible, the New New Testament! Hehehehe... then again... what is the Book of Mormon, if not that??? They maintain that Jesus took a pitstop in the Americas before going on to Heaven *g*.

As for PotO. In the musical, the fate of the phantom is unknown. He flees by the end of the musical and Meg finds his mask abandoned in his lair. In the movie we're treated to a glimpse into the future where old!Raoul visits Christine's grave and he notices the rose together with the wedding ring that the Phantom yoinked from Christine on the grave. So technically there are 50 years of uncovered story that leaves plenty of room for sequels. The musical, that is. In the book, you're right, Erik dies in the end. Or rather, we receive this note by the Persian that says "Erik est mort", but again, that could leave room for interpretation since we don't actually *see* it.

I've done some research now and apparently the musical would be based on "The Phantom of Manhattan" which is a sequel written by Frederic Forsythe based on the ALW version. I've read the summary and it was pretty... ehem. Yeah. As my bro said, "Is he going to go haunt Carnegie Hall, or what?" Almost! It's the Metropolitan Opera and he joins forces with Oscar Hammerstein! XD The Phantom goes Broadway! Muahahaha!

As for a sequel to La Traviata... It could be revealed that Violetta had a baby by Alfredo and he learns about it and has to go find his child XD;. Hey, it worked for Disney so I don't see why it can't work for Verdi! :-P

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

:)))))))))))))))))
LOL @ the Book of Mormon.
plus, of course, all the other theories of JC not dying on the cross but going to India, or having children with MM..
though, for all the die-hard fans.. that's fanfiction. and canon is canon. :p

Phantom goes to America. enter theatre. insert same songs with a little syncopation here and there.. :)
duhn! seems the book is getting awful reviews on amazon.. :p

i have a little conservative streak in me when it comes to works of art. it's ok to take a concept or borrow characters, but i'm not a fan of true sequels to other people's works.
(i would, though, make an exception with Gabriel Knight, since the 3rd instalment was botched beyond repair.. and i'd welcome a good mind and soul put to the task of worthy sequels.. :pp )

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Yeah, totally forgot about The DaVinci Code :P.

I agree, The Phantom of Manhattan sounds stinky. My first instinct was to get it and read it, but now I'm kinda put off. No thanks D:. I'll wait for the movie version of the musical... which will be in 20 years or so, haha.

I'm kinda torn on the issue. As an artist and writer I can understand the need to control your own work and not wanting people to botch around in it. Most of the time, it was the author's intention to end a story the way it ended. Rhett was supposed to walk out on Scarlett and Rick sent Ilsa in her way. That's how it went and people shouldn't try to change that.

On the other hand, as a fanfiction writer and fan I can understand the urge to "set things right". Also, I think it's part of a dynamic culture that it allows people to create and be creative. We're in a bit of a pinch right now in that aspect with copyright laws and C&Ds abound. I think creators sometimes need to get over themselves and allow a creative process of cultural integration. If you create something and put it out there for everyone it becomes part of our cultural goods and then people should be allowed to incorporate that. If you don't want that you should keep it to yourself.

I guess the solution to this is that we accept such sequels as just another creative attempt, but not part of the official canon. As far as I'm concerned, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler aren't an item anymore. But I am aware of the sequel by Alexandra Ripley (and actually quite liked it), but it's not official, no matter how often the heirs of Margaret Mitchell ok'ed it. Don't limit creative flows, but take it with a grain of salt.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

i don't think i ever read fanfiction, other than some pointed out for its sheer -- let's say -- low quality. :) but i'm not against it, by no means, and i understand the force behind it.
other thing is when they are marketed. like the Ripley book you mentioned. i usually associate the story and characters with the individuality of the author. i don't know how much of just a mental block that is that i perhaps should get over.. given i wouldn't know it was a different person writing it, i might not complain at all, if i liked it.
cause how often even original authors botch their own sequels..

then there are series of stories set in same universes, that somehow became accepted as multiauthored, a kind of "official" fanfiction.. like the Star Wars books, Star Trek books, Alien Predator plus crossover books, Spiderman, 007, etc. etc. quite a lot, actually. which i think is fun, if someone is a fan.