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Post by foxie on Jun 7, 2012 7:20:19 GMT -5
NEW YORK -- Hugh Jackman liked his record-setting Broadway run so much this winter that he's handcuffing himself to a future musical about Harry Houdini. Producers said Wednesday that Jackman, best known as the hairy Wolverine in "The X-Men" franchise, will star as the famed illusionist in "Houdini." It's scheduled to reach Broadway during the 2013-14 season. Academy Award and six-time Emmy Award winner Aaron Sorkin of "West Wing" fame will write the story, and three-time Academy Award and four-time Grammy Award winner Stephen Schwartz of "Wicked" fame will write music and lyrics. Jackman's career trajectory reveals a penchant for portraying showmen. He previously played a magician, rivaling Christian Bale, in 2006's "The Prestige." Jackman will also play ringmaster P.T. Barnum in the upcoming 2013 film, "The Greatest Showman on Earth." Aside from the more obvious parallels, Jackman has gravitated toward showmanship in other ways, including his song and dance numbers for the 2009 Oscars, not to mention his most recent turn on Broadway, which featured Jackman singing hits from from his stage and film career, backed by an 18-piece orchestra. Jackman's one-man, 10-week Broadway concert show, "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway," closed Sunday at the Broadhurst Theatre after having earned more than $2 million in its final week. It was the highest weekly gross recorded by the Shubert Organization, which owns the Broadhurst and 16 other Broadway theaters. According to Jackman, his turn as "Houdini" is somewhat his own ultimate magic trick: "I have been deeply fascinated by the life of Harry Houdini since I was young, and in many ways I've been preparing for this role my whole life." Houdini himself had a career as an actor, which was mainly another forum to showcase his escapades. A DVD box set released in 2008, "Houdini: The Movie Star," features his silent films, including "The Master Mystery," "Terror Island," "The Man From Beyond," "Haldane of the Secret Service," "The Grim Game" and filmed records of Houdini escapes from 1907 to 1923. Houdini's legacy has carried on in biographical films as well. The earliest, and one of the most famous, fictionalized accounts of his life was 1953's "Houdini," starring real-life husband and wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh as Houdini and wife Bess. The most recent account was 2007's "Death Defying Acts," starring Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones, which focuses on a romantic affair. The Broadway musical account will have a different focus -- in a statement, Sorkin emphasized that the story will be modernized, and hones in on "an epic battle that took place between the world's greatest illusionist and a trio of women, known as 'Spiritualists.'"
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Post by mamaleh on Jun 7, 2012 8:38:46 GMT -5
LOL, I had to laugh at the "singing hits from his...film career."
'Gimme a Head with Hair, Long Beautiful Hair"? - Obviously cut from X-MEN or VAN HELSING "That Old Black Magic" - Love theme from THE PRESTIGE? "Three Coins in THE FOUNTAIN"?
Well, after he does his first real movie musical (I don't quite count OKLAHOMA!), maybe he'll include selections from LES MIZ in future one-man shows.
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jo
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Houdini
Jun 7, 2012 17:56:10 GMT -5
Post by jo on Jun 7, 2012 17:56:10 GMT -5
Update from Aaron Sorkin -- artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/thats-news-to-him-aaron-sorkin-on-the-newsroom-and-his-steve-jobs-screenplay/quote: Q.
In addition to your work on the Houdini musical and, potentially, further seasons of “The Newsroom,” how will you find time for all of these assignments? How do you decide what takes priority?
A.
The priority is what’s right in front of me. The writing and the shooting of the first season of “The Newsroom” is done and what’s left is post-production. Work on Houdini has been underway for a while, with Stephen Schwartz and I meeting regularly — either in New York or L.A. — to map out the show we’re doing (also not a biography), move index cards around a board, listen to first drafts of songs and read first drafts of scenes. That work will get more intense as we head for a June 25 stumble-through with Hugh [Jackman]. Jo
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Houdini
Jun 7, 2012 21:45:11 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 7, 2012 21:45:11 GMT -5
I am so glad Hugh is still connected to this show! I used to do speeches on the life of Harry Houdini and studied his life at great length. He was indeed the ultimate showman and would do anything to get headlines in the newspaper. He loved audiences and loved to interact with them! He would involve the audience in his magic as well (much like the part of Angier in "The Prestige") and invite them up on the stage. Hugh loves involving audiences in what he's doing and, to me, this is the perfect project for him! It would be great to have scenes where the audience is involved and gets to be part of the show! ;D
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Post by broadwaygal on Jun 8, 2012 7:32:19 GMT -5
Sorkin has so many projects going on, I hope he can get this done!
Cheryl
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Post by broadwaygal on Jun 8, 2012 7:45:45 GMT -5
Nevaeh, a couple of years ago, there was a fantastic exhibit about Houdini at The Jewish Museum here in New York. Did you get a chance to see it? There were lots of photos, film clips, and re-creations of some of the equipment used in his performances.
Cheryl
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Post by birchie on Jun 8, 2012 7:52:30 GMT -5
I am so glad Hugh is still connected to this show! I used to do speeches on the life of Harry Houdini and studied his life at great length. He was indeed the ultimate showman and would do anything to get headlines in the newspaper. He loved audiences and loved to interact with them! He would involve the audience in his magic as well (much like the part of Angier in "The Prestige") and invite them up on the stage. Hugh loves involving audiences in what he's doing and, to me, this is the perfect project for him! It would be great to have scenes where the audience is involved and gets to be part of the show! ;D Sounds more & more like a role made in heaven for Hugh. I wonder who will play Bess?
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 13:50:43 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 8, 2012 13:50:43 GMT -5
Nevaeh, a couple of years ago, there was a fantastic exhibit about Houdini at The Jewish Museum here in New York. Did you get a chance to see it? There were lots of photos, film clips, and re-creations of some of the equipment used in his performances. No Cheryl, sadly my schedule nor my funds did not permit it. I remember going to the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame though in Niagara Falls, Ontario many times before it burned down in 1995. It was so fascinating seeing all the different original items that Harry had used in his magic act. There was a great mystery surrounding this actually as Harry had left all the items to his brother and had asked that upon his death all the items would then be destroyed. His wishes weren't honored and his brother sold them to a collector who put them on display in this museum. In the first year of its opening they had a fire and then again in 1995 which finally destroyed many of the items. They don't know how either of the fires began. Hmmmm? I think the most fascinating item I had seen was the Chinese Water Torture tank. I didn't realize just how tiny Houdini was until I stood next to this tank. Harry was a very short man. I mean he was Wolverine short (the one in the comics that is ;D)! It wasn't a big tank like we see magicians use today or like the tank in The Prestige, but very small. I stood beside it and could look over the top of it and I'm about 5'5. It wasn't very wide at all either; just enough space for Harry's body and a little arm room around. I remember thinking how claustrophobic it was! This makes me laugh when I think of Hugh playing the role because he's so tall! I guess he likes playing short men ;D! I know Hugh would love this role and be absolutely amazing in it!
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 16:33:03 GMT -5
Post by foxie on Jun 8, 2012 16:33:03 GMT -5
I told the pharmacist I work with about Houdini and asked if he had seen "the prestige" he said yes and he hated it I now have the same feelings about him actually I sort of did before!
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jo
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 17:30:22 GMT -5
Post by jo on Jun 8, 2012 17:30:22 GMT -5
Will people feel cheated if this is not a biopic? And likely not feature all or most of his famous illusions/tricks? Sorkin reiterated in this most recent interview that this is not biographical at all.
Jo
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 20:58:25 GMT -5
Post by ocjackie on Jun 8, 2012 20:58:25 GMT -5
If you all remember, Oscar asked him to please not do any tricks any more after what happened on the Oprah show. What does everyone think, tricks or no tricks?
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 21:58:35 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 8, 2012 21:58:35 GMT -5
It would be sad indeed if Sorkin doe not bring at least some of Houdini's bio into the storyline and show some of his "act". Everyone knows Houdini as an escape artist and a great magician. Yes, he was also famous for coming against Spiritualists and exposing them as frauds, but I think most people would want to see also Harry Houdini, the magician. I, personally, would love this because then they could bring in audience participation with Hugh. And we all know how amazing he is at audience interaction! And Houdini loved his audiences. He did everything he could to thrill the audience. I think people would feel cheated if part of this was missing. He was ahead of his time as an illusionist and created many illusions still used by magicians today. This is what made him famous. However, many are unaware of the other part of Harry's life and his search to find if spiritualism was real. He took his mother's death very hard and yearned to contact her; that's how this whole thing got started. He went from seance to seance and watched every medium very closely. Because he was a master of illusion himself, he saw all the trickery and exposed many of these "so-called" spiritualists as frauds. He hated that many were deceiving innocent people by taking their money and pretending to contact their loved ones from beyond the grave. He took a stand against them and then many of them (angry that he was destroying their business) took a stand against him in court! It made major headlines. This also destroyed the friendship between Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle because Doyle was a big believer of the spiritualists! If they have this storyline combined with some of Houdini's "magical" bio, then I think people would be more satisfied. Though, what's also strange here is the comment Sorkin makes about "modernizing" this? Are we to expect him taking Houdini out of the early 1900's and bringing him into the 21st century?
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jo
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 22:24:11 GMT -5
Post by jo on Jun 8, 2012 22:24:11 GMT -5
We don't know what the subject of the first draft of the musical was ( with Elfman as composer, Yazbek/Slater as librettist and Andersen as book writer) and what went wrong with it -- because all of a sudden, a new team was on board with Aaron Sorkin seeming to be providing the lead. Maybe they did not think a straightforward biopic would have worked onstage, if that had been the original theme? Sorkin writes exciting stuff, so I would trust his instinct about this. Not many people know it, but he does have a BFA in Musical Theatre - so he probably has a good instinct in what can work in a stage musical, not just in movies. Theatre sometimes can handle the most interesting aspect of a story, not just the conventional aspects of it. Audience interaction ...Er, I hope it does not involve swimming in a tank with him :o I have a feeling this musical is going to be a dramatic musical - not of the variety that encourages breaking the fourth wall. But that is just my thought Jo
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 22:38:07 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 8, 2012 22:38:07 GMT -5
Trust me Jo, I would NOT want him upside down in a water tank ;D. No more accidents for our boy! There are other illusions and tricks Houdini did that were more simpler, trust me. You're absolutely right in that they probably won't go for Hugh breaking the fourth wall. That was just my wishful thinking because Houdini always involved the audience. I really don't know what they have in mind to do here. It's anyone's guess what they're going to do regarding the story. Yes, they are a creative team and it will be interesting where they take all this.
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jo
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Houdini
Jun 8, 2012 22:43:32 GMT -5
Post by jo on Jun 8, 2012 22:43:32 GMT -5
Maybe we might hear more about it, after Sorkin and Schwartz have had their "stumble-through" with Hugh. Whatever that means! ;D... Lol - that is the very first time I have heard of such a term with respect to development processes in the theatre.
I think Hugh gets as much excited with the developmental process as he is in getting the material up on stage before a live audience.
Jo
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Post by foxie on Jun 9, 2012 6:42:26 GMT -5
I think he will do tricks he has ben practicing a long time!!
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Post by Jamie on Jun 9, 2012 9:07:55 GMT -5
At least he has a major "go to" place for anything he wants to learn. Neil Patrick Harris is the President of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a master manipulative magician i his own right, and probably knows every magician of all types in the country.
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Houdini
Jun 9, 2012 17:33:01 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 9, 2012 17:33:01 GMT -5
Jamie, I didn't know that about NPH! That's pretty cool. I know another magician that Hugh has met in the past and struck up a friendship with. He showed Hugh and Deb his secret magic collection too (among the things were Houdini items as well!) Do you remember who the magician was? www.whosay.com/davidcopperfield/photos/99920
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jo
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Houdini
Jun 10, 2012 20:15:20 GMT -5
Post by jo on Jun 10, 2012 20:15:20 GMT -5
More update on Houdini, from Hugh himself -- www.playbill.com/news/article/166898-Special-Tony-Award-Recipient-Hugh-Jackman-Will-Take-Part-in-Staged-Reading-of-Broadway-Bound-Houdiniquote: Special Tony Award Recipient Hugh Jackman Will Take Part in Staged Reading of Broadway-Bound Houdini By Michael Gioia 10 Jun 2012
Hugh Jackman, a 2012 Special Tony Award recipient who appeared earlier this year in his one-man show Back on Broadway, will participate in a staged reading of the first act of the Broadway-bound musical Houdini.
“I'm very excited,” Jackman told NY1 on the red carpet before the 66th Annual Tony Awards. “Aaron Sorkin is writing the book, Stephen Schwartz doing the music, Jack O'Brien directing [and] David Rockwell [providing scenic design]... We have a very exciting group, [and] we're about to do a first act read-through in about a week.”
As previously announced, Jackman will star in the title role in the musical that is scheduled for a Broadway bow in the 2013-14 season.
Tony winners Scott Sanders and Rockwell produce the musical about the life of the turn-of-the-century illusionist, which will have a score by Academy Award-winning composer-lyricist Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, "Pocahontas") and a book by Academy Award winner Sorkin ("A Few Good Men," "The Newsroom," The Farnsworth Invention). Kurt Andersen, who has been developing the musical over the last several seasons, will remain on as a creative consultant.
According to an earlier statement from Sorkin, "Rather than being a biography, Houdini – told in a contemporary tone – tells the story of an epic battle that took place between the world's greatest illusionist and a trio of women, known as 'Spiritualists,' who convinced millions of people, including the editors of Scientific American and The New York Times, that they could communicate with the dead."...
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Houdini
Jun 10, 2012 23:07:57 GMT -5
Post by broadwaygal on Jun 10, 2012 23:07:57 GMT -5
Nevaeh, Hugh told me about seeing D. Copperfield's magic collection and artifacts because I asked him if he had been to that exhibit on Houdini at The Jewish Museum. BTW, one of the narrators of that Houdini exhibit was tonight's TONY host, NPH!
Cheryl
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Houdini
Jun 10, 2012 23:26:23 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 10, 2012 23:26:23 GMT -5
Nevaeh, Hugh told me about seeing D. Copperfield's magic collection and artifacts because I asked him if he had been to that exhibit on Houdini at The Jewish Museum. BTW, one of the narrators of that Houdini exhibit was tonight's TONY host, NPH! That's awesome Cheryl! I can only imagine what that must have been like for Hugh and Deb getting to have a private tour of D.C's amazing magic collection! Were you able to get to that Houdini exhibit at The Jewish Museum yourself? I'm sure having NPH as one of the narrators must have drawn a lot of people to the exhibit!
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Houdini
Jun 10, 2012 23:40:43 GMT -5
Post by broadwaygal on Jun 10, 2012 23:40:43 GMT -5
Oh, yes, I went to the exhibit. It was fascinating. I think I mentioned that there were many photos, and actual rare film footage of Houdini performing some of his illusions such as hanging upside down off of a building. They also had replicas of the Water Chamber and the Milk Can. The also showed clips of the Tony Curtis film, and videos of other magicians such as Doug Henning performing the trick with the assistant and the trunk where they switch places.
Cheryl
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Houdini
Jun 11, 2012 16:12:59 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 11, 2012 16:12:59 GMT -5
Sounds like it was an amazing exhibit Cheryl! I wish I could have gone! The actual Water Chamber and Milk Can were on display in the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame before it burned! When I saw them I remember thinking, wow Houdini was actually inside of these things! It's funny you mentioning the Tony Curtis film because I saw that when I was young and it was because of that film I got interested in Houdini to begin with! From then on I had a fascination with his life.
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Houdini
Jun 11, 2012 18:12:47 GMT -5
Post by Jamie on Jun 11, 2012 18:12:47 GMT -5
If you can get to The Magic Castle, it is well worth it. You don't have to be a magician to get an Associate Membership. They have a regular Houdini Seance. Dinner is fantastic. The one time I went was a great evening. Love the "piano bar" ... no pianist. You request songs and they simply get played somehow....
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Houdini
Jun 11, 2012 18:21:54 GMT -5
Post by nevaeh777 on Jun 11, 2012 18:21:54 GMT -5
I loved where Hugh talked about what drew him to "Houdini" last night on the Red Carpet. He was asked, "What's the source of your fascination with Houdini?" He says, "He was a great entertainer. He gave everything, every night to every audience." That is EXACTLY why I thought Hugh would love this role. Houdini was just like Hugh with the audience. ;D Here's the Red Carpet interview. The "Houdini" part starts about 1:40. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZQvRWhesNU
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