HBO is quietly developing — dare I say in the dead of night? — a Broadway musical based on its popular vampire series “True Blood.”
Director Pam MacKinnon, who barely survived the fiasco that was “China Doll,” recently staged a workshop here. The cast included Ellen Foley (of TV’s “Night Court”), Claybourne Elder (Broadway’s “Bonnie & Clyde”) and Ann Harada (“Avenue Q”). The music is by Nathan Barr, who scored the TV series it’s based on; YA fiction author Elizabeth Scott (who wrote the novel “Living Dead Girl”) is writing the book and lyrics, and I hear Alan Ball, who created the TV show, is keeping an eye on the stage version.
These are early days, but sources say the musical needs cutting: Act 1 was almost 132 pages.
Like the TV show, “True Blood: The Musical” is set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, La., where vampires live among humans. The town also boasts witches, fairies, shape-shifters and werewolves. If a full production ever materializes, there will be plenty of special effects.
My spies liked the music and thought the book, despite its length, was fun.
“True Blood” is the latest of a long line of shows trying to cash in on a famous title. The series ran seven seasons, earned several Emmy nominations and remains hugely popular on DVD.
But “True Blood” is up against a rather bloody history of vampire musicals on Broadway.
“Lestat,” based on Anne Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles,” had a score by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and a book by Linda Woolverton (“The Lion King” movie). Even so, it bombed, running just 39 performances in 2006.
‘True Blood’ is up against a rather bloody history of vampire musicals on Broadway.
Wrote The Post’s Clive Barnes: “Vampires have very difficult and unhappy lives. You really don’t want to be one. Especially if it involved music as loud and boring as old Lestat has to plow his way through. It’s not a life fit for a dog, let alone a bat.” The show lost $10 million.
My favorite was 2002’s “Dance of the Vampires,” with backstage shenanigans that made great column fodder. Based on the movie “The Fearless Vampire Killers,” the musical had a strong score by Jim Steinman, including his hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
The show starred Michael Crawford, who hadn’t been on Broadway since “The Phantom of the Opera” in 1988. Crawford demanded creative control and even had a hand in designing his own costumes, which were a little too tight. Cast members called him “the fat rooster.”
Steinman thought the show was a train wreck in previews. When he complained — loudly — the producers barred him from the theater.
“Dance of the Vampires” lasted just 56 performances and lost more than $12 million, making it, at the time, one of the costliest flops ever.
And, finally, there was Frank Wildhorn’s “Dracula, the Musical,” which eked out 157 performances at the Belasco in 2004. The only thing I remember about it is that Kelli O’Hara briefly appeared in the nude.
Well, that’s some track record. Best of luck, “True Blood.”
An aside: What’s with all these “top-secret” workshops, anyway? The producers of “True Blood” told everybody involved not to breathe a word of it to anyone.
The cast of the reading of “The Honeymooners” musical the other week had to sign nondisclosure agreements, production sources told me. But I did a little digging and can reveal the following: Ralph Kramden is a bus driver, and Ed Norton works in the sewer.
The secret’s out!